Using a Solar Water Heater Chattanooga TN

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Solar water heaters are gaining popularity as a great way for the homeowner to reduce energy consumption. Although there are different types of solar hot water heaters that have different applications for where you live, all solar heaters work in basically the same way. A collector sits in a sunny location, such as the roof of your house. When the sun shines, it heats the water which is then stored in a tank of some type usually your regular residential hot water heater. Let's look at some of the different types of solar water heaters and how they work.

• Active solar water heaters use pumps to circulate the water from the water supply, through the collector, and back to the storage tank. If you live in a warm climate where freezing isn't a concern, the solar water heater heats the water directly. If you live in a climate where it does freeze, then the solar collector heats a non-freezable transfer liquid. As that liquid gets hot, it is pumped into a heat exchanger where the heat is transferred to the water. The water doesn't leave the residence and isn't exposed to the freezing temperatures.
• Passive solar water heaters operate on the same principal, but usually lack a pump to keep the water circulating. Instead, the water pressure from the house keeps the water circulating. As in active systems, passive systems rely on the sun to heat the water. As hot water is called for in the residence, the water flows through the passive system into the regular hot water supply. Typically called batch heaters, passive systems usually have a black tank or black tubes that the water passes through to preheat before reentering the house. Because the water passes outside through the collector, passive collectors are not designed to be used in colder climates.

The up-front for solar water heaters are more than a typical hot water heater. However, with few moving parts, solar water heaters can provide years of trouble free service. To help with these costs, solar water heaters are often eligible for tax credits. Check your state and federal agencies to see what type of credits are available. Second, heating your home's water accounts for up to 20 25% of your energy consumption. Using a solar water heater will help you realize immediate savings. Finally, solar water heaters rely on a renewable energy source. The sunlight is free, and the free hot water is, well, pretty cool.

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