Month: July 2010

Passive solar homes save energy in winter and can be cool also in summer

With the large window and skylights installed in the house, it’s definitely a great way to harvest solar energy. However, there’s a problem. You will also get the sun light in summer which can heat up the house like an oven. So the energy you saved during winters times are spent in the summer to cool off. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

All it takes is to block the sunlight in the summer. You can do so by using overhang and shutters. Interior and exterior window shutters can help reduce heat gain in your home. Window shutters also offer weather protection and add more security to your house.

Source: EERE

Use Solar water heaters to generate hot water for your home

If you think solar panels cost too much, there are other ways to harvest solar energy and save energy without the high cost. You can install solar water heaters, also called solar domestic hot water systems can to generate hot water for your home. The good news is that they can be used in any climate and for free.

How does a solar water heater work? Solar water heating systems come with storage tanks and solar collectors. The storage tank is well-insulated and has an additional outlet and inlet connected to/from the solar collector. In a 2 tank system, the heater preheats water before it enters the conventional water heater. In 1 tank system, the backup heater and the solar storage are in one tank. The cost of a solar water heater usually is around $1,100.