Hot Water Solar Panels
Introduction to Hot Water Solar Panels
Hot water solar panels have become so popular among home owners and have quickly grown more popular than the solar panels that generate electricity. They were constructed as a means of collecting and storing heat that is then used from there to heat water. Another name for hot water solar panels are Solar Thermal Collectors. There are three common types of solar thermal collectors which are solar parabolics, solar towers and solar troughs. These three types will usually be found in bigger industrial areas rather than at somebodies home.
Hot Water Solar Panels
The most common hot water solar panel is basically a black in colour, flat panel. These black panels contain a sheet of black metal that is placed inside of an insulated box. The insulated box has been weather-proofed in order to help it last much longer against all kinds of weather. There are a couple of water pipes that are built in to the system that will get hit from the energy of the sun. This water then circulates around the whole of the hot water system. There will be a storage tank above the collector which is used to store this heated water ready for later use.
This type of hot water solar panel system is a great system to use in sunnier climates and is called what is known as a passive system. The best way of maximizing the results from the hot water solar panels is to set them up so they are directly facing the sun. They are also set up in such a way that the flat solar panels are at a specific angle depending on area plus an additional 10% on top of that.
The Benefits of Hot Water Solar Panels
As with any other type of solar panel, hot water solar panels have many benefits to owners. The obvious benefit and the one that everybody looks to do is that it dramatically cuts down on the monthly bill and saves a lot of money in the long run. Prices vary for the systems depending on how much hot water a house needs but once the initial investment has been made and once that money has been returned in hot water, everything else is completely free.
The other main benefit is that hot water solar panels are non-polluting. This means that the systems let no harmful gases in to the atmosphere at all. It is the gases that are sent in to the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels which is the biggest cause of global warming but with hot water solar panels installed you are also reducing your carbon footprint.
The cost for a typical home hot water solar panel system is about £4,800 including VAT at 5%. Most of these systems will come with a 5 - 10 year warranty but it is very unlikely that any problems will occur with the system. It is advised however to have the system thoroughly inspected every 3 years by an accredited inspector. They will be able to find any faults that the system may have.
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