Your Choice in a Solar Water Heating System

Choosing to install a solar water heating system in your home is a great decision.  By choosing to go with solar energy you are choosing an energy source that is reliable, free and does not cause pollution.  You are going to have a choice in solar water heating systems - active or passive.

What about an active solar water heating system? In contrast, an active solar water heating system relies on the production and storage of solar energy. Generally, the energy is produced by solar panels and then stored in a battery block, which can be used at the owner's discretion. When the solar water heating system is in use (i.e. when it is extracting power from the batteries or directly from the panels), an electrical heating system will warm up stored water.

A passive solar water heating system does not have any moving parts; and as such, it does not require any electricity. Instead, it usually consists of a tank on the roof of a building or in a sunny spot, which is painted black, and is constructed with a heat-conducive metal. These tanks heat up to hot temperatures, which will subsequently heat the water with them. The water is then pumped into the building to be used in a number of different places, including bathrooms and kitchens.

In general, all solar water heating systems work in the same way.  They gather solar energy, use it to heat the water and then the heated water is either stored or used. 

The major advantage to a solar water heating system over a normal electrical water heating system is that it only requires you to may one significant down payment-to purchase the equipment; once you have do that, it is essentially free for its lifetime; and likely will require little maintenance.

Of course, solar water heating systems do have some disadvantages.  Mainly, solar energy is not completely reliable. If there is no sun for a few days or little sun then the solar energy could quickly be depleted.  Most often having a back up energy source is a smart option.  As you begin to become familiar with your solar water heating system you will soon learn how to get the most use from it.  Eventually, you will likely be able to greatly reduce or eliminate the need for a back up energy source.

Whether you purchase an active solar water heating system or a passive one, you are opting to save money in the long run; in addition to that, you are also option to save scarce resources.

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