Using solar heating costs can get expensive when the weather is cold, so finding ways to save money on heating your residence is imperative. Solar panels are used to collect energy from the sun and transform it into electricity that can be used throughout your home. This same solar energy technology can be used to heat your home.
Heat collectors, or solar thermal systems, work in a similar way to solar power cells, except that they absorb the heat and light that the sun generates and use it to heat air or a liquid. This heated air or liquid is then used to transfer heat to your home. You have many options that allow you to enjoy a warm home and save money on gas and solar heating.
Passive solar heating is very effective on large south-facing windows, allowing sunlight to enter your home. Sunlight and heat are absorbed by floors, walls, or any dark colored containers or objects. When this heat is absorbed, the temperature in the home increases by several degrees. Since the hot air rises, the heat will spread throughout the house quite efficiently.
Active solar
With active heating using solar energy, heat collectors containing liquids or air will be used to collect heat from the sun. This heat is stored in much the same way as solar panels store energy in their batteries. When you want to heat your home, the heated air is used to send heat throughout your home or just individual rooms, depending on the system you have installed. With liquids, the house is heated by a pump that allows the liquid to move through the pipes of your home, providing heat.
Liquid Active Solar using liquids requires plumbing or pipes, an underfloor heating system, to be installed under the floors or in the walls of your residence. To heat your home, the liquid is heated and the heat radiates from the pipes, causing the temperature to rise. Other methods of heating your home, such as hot water heaters and stoves, use stored hot water to heat rooms. When using active liquid solar heat, the water can also be heated, saving you a ton of money.
Solar and geothermal combination
Solar collectors absorb heat from the sun and store it to heat the air, or even water, in your home. Heat can also be collected due to geothermal heating systems. These systems require water pipes to be installed near your home below ground. They connect to heat pumps, transferring warm water from the ground so it can be used in the home. Combining geothermal systems and other solar heating methods can increase efficiency in areas with extreme cold or prolonged periods with little sunlight.
When it comes to solar energy, what can be achieved is infinite. Not only can you save money by heating your home with solar energy, you can also heat water.
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