Solar Water Heaters
What are Solar Water Heaters?
A solar water heater uses the sun's energy to pre-heat water before it enters the conventional gas (or electric) water heater.
How hot can solar heated water get?
Water heated by the sun can reach temperatures exceeding 212º F, but the normal temperature for household use is only 120º to 130º F.
How does a Solar Water Heater Work?
So that you can have a graphical view of how a solar water system works we included the video below:
Are There Different Types of Solar Water Heaters?
Solar water heats are divided into two kinds of systems, Active or Passive:
Active solar systems rely upon moving mechanical parts in order to transport heat, while passive units simply use the sun to accomplish this action. The bulk of the systems installed in the United States are active because they are considered to be more efficient and attractive. All Velux solar water heaters are active solar systems.
How Cost Effective is a Solar Water Heater?
On average, if you install a solar water heater, your water heating bills should drop 50% - 80%. Also, because the sun is free, you're protected from future fuel shortages and price hikes. Other financial incentives include:
Solar energy systems can take advantage of the sun's free energy year round.
Solar energy can be produced even at low temperatures.
Federal tax credits help pay 30% of the cost, up to $2,000 for the system.
Between tax credits and energy savings, our Velux Solar Water Heating system
offers a faster return on your investment than other solar energy systems.
Will a Solar Hot
Water System replace my current Water Heater?
There are two basic sizes of Velux solar water heaters:
A two collector / 80 gallon system - will typically replace a
conventional 40 to 50 gallon residential tank water heater.
A three collector / 120 gallon system - will typically
replace a 75 to 80 gallon residential tank water heater.
Velux solar water systems can also work with, or in addition to, a conventional tank water heater to provide additional hot water capacity.
How much space does a solar water heating system take?
A residential solar water heating system uses two or three solar collectors on the roof. These are approximately 4.5' X 6' each and are best placed on a south-facing roof.
The storage tank will fit inside a 30" pan under an 8 ' ceiling. This is best located near and under the collectors, but can be located up to 60' from the collectors.
Are VELUX solar water heating systems reliable?
Yes, VELUX solar water heating systems, proven for years in Europe, are designed to perform well for more than 20 years. They incorporate the same engineered flashing systems that have been used by builders in the U.S. to install VELUX roof windows and are trusted to avoid leaks.
To ensure optimal performance and service life of VELUX solar water heaters must be installed by a VELUX authorized solar water heating dealer/installer. (like Conservation Concepts, Inc.)
