What is "Solar Thermal" and how can it work for you?
When people think of solar, they usually think of solar panels..you know, the type that actually make electricity….but one of the least expensive and most effective ways to “go solar”, save money, and immediately start reducing your carbon footprint is to install a Schuco brand active solar water heater (thermal) system on your home.
It’s easy, beautiful, works very well, and will pay for itself almost immediately thanks to the tax credits. There are separate tax credits made specifically for solar thermal systems.
It’s very simple. Instead of installing a “solar panel”, we install two or three “collectors” on your roof, depending on how much hot water your family uses. A pink, food grade glycol solution runs through collectors heating up to temperatures in excess of 170 degrees. This solution is then pumped down into a special tank, where the water that is used in your home.
Solar Thermal covers all technologies that put the heat of sun directly to work. In colder climates solar air heating is catching on but in the Gulf South Solar is more often used for pool heating and domestic hot water. Solar hot water collectors can heat water upwards of 170 degrees, well beyond the settings of your tank based or instant hot water heater.
For this reason you will need a tempering valve (comes standard with all Schuco thermal systems) to prevent scalding. There are several types of systems available and the best one for you will depend on whether you plan to integrate with an existing tank or not. Installing a solar thermal hot water system will have a significant impact on reducing your energy bills. Heating hot water accounts for as much as 20-30% of home energy costs and solar hot water can reduce or eliminate that expense.
Posted by : Scott Oman
