Solar Energy Guru

If you want to install solar air space heating, you need to be aware that there are a few different steps that are going to be involved here. You can install solar air space heating all on your own, but you are going to need to know what you are doing before you get started, otherwise you are sure to end up with problems.

 The Process

 Before you even get started on this process, you should learn more about solar air space heating, what it is and why you would want it installed in your home. There is passive and active solar energy, and so this is one of the first decisions that you are going to make, is which of these you want to have for your home.

 Now after you have learned more about solar heating, which is very eco-friendly, you are going to have to learn about how you can install it. First you will have to calculate out how much system you are going to need for heating your space. Obviously then the larger the home, the more you are going to need.

 Make sure that you do not base your calculations on the coldest or the system is going to end up being oversized for most of the year. Instead do averages, this way it will work out the best.

 Now to install solar air space heating in your home, decide how many collectors you are going to need, and then determine the different types of collectors that are available and figure out which of these is going to work best for your application. Now after this, you are going to need to position your collectors.

 You want to get the most from your collectors that you possibly can, and this means pointing them towards the equator, so they are always going to be able to collect the maximum amount of solar energy.

 Now you want to install the electric air circulating fans for your solar air space heating, and remember that there are specific fans that are made for solar space heating systems and so you are going to want to use these and not just any old type of fan that you think may work.

 As you can see the steps are very few and easy to follow, so you don’t necessarily have to get a professional to come in and do the job for you and instead can do it all on your own. 

The issue of solar forced air heating is one that has gained great popularity over the past couple of years. Solar forced air heating is basically heating for a home that uses solar energy to work. This way you are not relying on the regular fossil fuel and are conserving. There are many advantages offered to the average homeowner by this. 

For one you are getting a great cost-effectiveness because instead of having to pay your energy bill every month all you have to do is pay upfront a bit of money for the supplies for your solar air space heating system and then after that you are paying little to no money.

 ClearDome

 If you are interested in getting one of these solar forced air heating systems in your home, there are quite a few different companies that you could turn to. There are a few in particular that are going to be especially worth checking out, and the ClearDome Company is one of these.

 Here they offer specially designed and configured designs for stand alone or built in wall or roof installations, and their panels will increase room temperatures by 10-15 degrees or more, on all sunny days in a well insulated home. They offer one of the largest selections of solar forced air heating systems in the world in fact, so no matter what specifics you may be looking for, you can find it all here.

 One of their biggest issues is making sure that the solar panels that are used to take in the solar energy are as invisible to the eye as possible. They know that homeowners do not want the panels to be obstructive or to be an eyesore, because people want their homes to look as nice as possible, inside and out.

 Because of this they have worked very hard to ensure that all of their solar forced air heating systems work as best as they can but without being overly noticeable.

 If you are interested in making the switch and beginning to power your home, garage, pool or other area by solar power, this is definitely one of the best companies that you can head to. Here you will not only find all of the supplies and equipment that you are going to need but as well valuable information that you will not be able to find elsewhere.

 They want to help everyone to realize the enormous benefits of the sun and make us see why we should start taking more advantage of it. 

The topic of solar hot air heating versus fossil fuels is one that everyone in this world should be aware of today. After all, with incredibly important issues such as global warming facing us now, there is no better time than the present to realize what solar hot air heating is and what sort of benefits it can offer us.

 Solar Hot Air Heating Versus Fossil Fuels

 Solar energy is a great alternative to fossil fuels, and for a few different reasons. Solar energy is able to play a key role in creating a clean, reliable energy future for the world. The benefits are many and varied, and you will really not even be able to be aware of all the different benefits until you actually have solar forced air heating in your home.

 To start off you should know that the combustion of fossil fuels releases more than 6 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere each and every year. So what does this result in? Well this alone is responsible for a few different important issues such as the fact that our seasons are becoming different otherwise known as global warming, and that our planets are out of whack.

 Solar energy is a great alternative because it is clean energy for one. There are no harmful greenhouse gases that are being released into the atmosphere and nothing harmful for us to breathe in. In fact, even when the emissions related to solar cell manufacturing are counted, it produces less than 15 percent of the carbon dioxide from a conventional coal-fired power plant, which is horrific if you really think about it.

 Another great benefit of the solar hot air heating is that it uses fewer natural resources than conventional energy sources. Using energy from the sunlight which is the main natural resource in the world that is always readily available and unlimited, can replace the use of stored energy in natural resources including petroleum, natural gas and coal.

 It is pretty easy to see why we should all be learning more about solar hot air heating and what advantages it offers not only us but the world around us. The problem is that people do not take the time to become more educated on this subject and as a result do not realize just how easy the process of making the switch can be. There are no big tasks involved, just you making the decision to do so. 

Do you know what a solar air heating system is and why you would want one? Well there are a few different things that you are going to have to be aware of if this is something that you can be interested in. For instance you are going to need to purchase a solar air heating panel and other equipment or a solar air heating system kit, and then go through the installation process.

 Here are a few important things that anyone interested in installing a solar air heating system in their home should be aware of.

 The Details

 Solar air space heating can be a simple basic system but can offer you a multitude of benefits. It can be a very simple system that is based on solar heated air that is directly pumped into rooms by fans or through a forced air system, but there are other, more complex systems, that you are able to install as well if this is something that you are interested in.

 There are a few things that you need to keep in mind when installing a solar air heating system into your home. For one, know that solar space heating systems are more sensitive to the tilt and orientation of the collectors than solar water heaters. You are always going to need to make sure that nothing is going to shade the area, and this can include anything from trees to telephone poles

Sizing

 One of the most important steps in installing a solar air heating system will be for you to do some sizing. These systems are going to require a great deal more space for collecting energy than solar water heating systems, so be aware of this. Working with a professional will really always be the best way to size a solar thermal system.

 It is really just too complex an issue for the average homeowner to tackle, and so just to save yourself a whole lot of hassle and time, you can get someone to come in and do this part of the job for you.

 Limitations

 It is also very important that you are aware of the limitations of the very basic solar space heating systems. These systems are based on direct pumping of heated air, and since these systems do not require the reliance on certain equipment, there is the fact that they may end up putting too much hot air into the house. 

Sure, with a solar air heating system in your home you may realize the cost-effectiveness and convenience of it, but did you know that when you rely on solar air heating in your home you are doing good for the world around you? Let’s take a look at all the different benefits that solar air heating offers to the world around us.

 Clean Energy, No Greenhouse Gases

 When you are using fossil fuels, for instance when you go and turn on your gas powered heater, it is releasing toxic greenhouse gases into the environment. This is in fact the main cause of global warming which is one of the most major issues facing us as a world today. Now with the solar energy, it is clean energy and so there are actually no greenhouse gases put out into the air.

 Natural Resources

 Another great benefit of the solar air heating is that it uses fewer natural resources than conventional energy sources. When you are relying on energy from the sunlight, you are really able to replace the use of stored energy. Now if everyone in the world just did this, it would be an entirely different place.

 Reliability

 One of the benefits of solar air heating that would probably not come to mind first is reliability. With solar air heating, you know that the entire system is reliable and that it is never going to run out, or build up too much on you. The sun is always going to be around so you know that you are always going to be able to get solar power.

 Renewable Resource

 This brings us to the next benefit offered by solar air heating, which is that it is a renewable resource. This is a very important fact because scientists have estimated that renewable resources such as solar energy are going to be able to supply up to half of the world’s energy demand over the next half century which is obviously quite impressive.

 When you realize just how much solar energy has to offer you, you begin to see why it is so important to make the switch. The only reason that so many people have not done it already is because they think that it is going to be too inconvenient or cost them too much when in reality, the exact opposite is true. You are only going to be saving yourself time and money in the long run.  

In today’s day and age everything seems to be getting scarcer as well as costlier and also more polluted and in the case of a city such as Los Angeles that has more than an estimated four million homes that require to be heated, there is obviously a good deal of pollution in the air because of the exhaust fumes being emitted from homes making use of gas water heaters. California needs to set an example of how active solar heating can prove to be useful in making the state less polluted and better to live in.

 Initial Costs

 However, what needs to be taken into account before rushing in to install an active solar heating system is the initial cost that can range from a lowly two thousand five hundred dollars to approximately four thousand dollars and more. The good news is that once the system is installed there is little other cost involved in regard to operating or maintaining the active solar heating system which underscores another example of how active solar heating benefits the ordinary homeowner.

 Other examples of active solar heating include being able to affect reduction in the quantity of natural gas that needs to be extracted and then transported and finally burnt in order to heat up homes. Active solar heating systems help diversify the use of power and give the environment a major boost by not polluting it and this too is another good example of how active solar heating benefits everyone in the country and also on the rest of the planet.

 There are some very good examples of how active solar heating benefits you; for one, it can save you a lot of money by reducing your dependence on natural gas and it provides protection against increase in costs in the long term. Then, it helps affect reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by as much as nearly two thousand pounds per water heater on a yearly basis.

 There are several other good examples of how active solar heating benefits everyone and once you become educated about these examples of active solar heating you will then certainly think twice before switching on your gas heater.

 It is amazing to learn that a single solar air heating system will effectively help in heating up approximately seven hundred and fifty square feet of area in a home. Even better, such systems are very effective under different climatic conditions and best of all they help affect considerable savings to the consumer. 

There are three main disadvantages of active solar heating with the first being that the initial costs involved are on the high side. The second disadvantage of active solar heating is that use of an active solar heating system is limited to its location as well as power density while the third most important disadvantage of active solar heating is that the solar cells can only produce direct current (DC) which then needs to be converted into alternating current (AC) before it can be useful to the consumer. During this transformation from DC to AC, there is loss of energy to the tune of between four and twelve percent.

 More Advantages Than Disadvantages

 More and more households in the US are being heated by active solar heating systems as there are obviously a lot more advantages to such systems that help offset many of the disadvantages of active solar heating. The main reason why even more households have not switched over to use of active solar heating systems are the initial costs involved as well as contending with the need for sufficient amount of sunlight to make the active solar heating system worthwhile.

 If however you are willing to invest approximately between six to twenty thousand dollars to install an active solar heating system then chances are that you will not pay much heed to the disadvantages of active solar heating and will go ahead and make use of this form of solar energy. In fact, the market for active solar heating systems continues to grow and industries too are expending greater effort in researching and finding cheaper solutions and so the future looks bright.

 One thing that does help you disregard the disadvantages of active solar heating is that these systems are easy to use and the accompanying DIY instruction manuals make it easy to educate consumers as to how they can install their own active solar heating system and so save on the high costs involved.

 The other major disadvantage of active solar heating is that there is need to install the system where there is abundant sunlight and so in case you happen to be living in areas such as in Alaska, using an active solar heating system might not make much sense.

 Also, once you have installed the active solar heating system on your roof it becomes part and parcel of your home and so when selling your home you might have to part with the active solar heating system which is certainly one more of the disadvantages of active solar heating to take into account.

 Examples of active solar heating can be seen in the use of such solar heating systems being employed in places such as Fairbanks, Alaska where sunlight is not readily available. Nevertheless, an active solar heating system can still provide good service despite the constraints in regard to sufficient sunlight. 

An active solar home heating system requires use of collectors that help in collecting solar radiation and in conjunction with electric pumps and fans; the system is able to achieve proper distribution of heat taken from its collectors. The typical heat transfer fluid used is either air or a fluid and a majority of active solar home heating systems also makes use of storage systems that help to provide the heat whenever there is lack of sunshine.

 Limited Sunshine

 An active solar home heating is ideally suited for use in places where the amount of available sunlight is not abundant though before selecting your active solar home heating system you will also need to take into account other factors including the site, and design as well as the building’s heating requirements.

 Mostly, people tend to prefer installing an active solar home heating system on the roofs of their homes though it is also possible to install the systems in the ground as well as to mount them on walls so that the system gets maximum radiation from the sun. The best person to advise you regarding how to install an active solar home heating system is of course a specialist in solar energy.

 One of the more important questions that need to be answered before opting to use an active solar home heating system is how much heating should the system is able to provide. Typically, such a system should provide between forty and eighty percent of the total heating requirements of a home and a system that cannot provide at least forty percent of the heating requirements will prove to be financially a loss making proposition.

 It is the size of an active solar home heating system that will help determine the quantity of heat it will be able to provide and so before you pick a system makes sure to know which size is adequate for your home’s heating requirement. One way to determine the correct amount of heat that an active solar home heating system should provide is to use computer software which will calculate the exact amount for you.

 When studying the disadvantages of active solar heating systems you will need to distinguish between systems that use air or liquid as the heat transfer medium. In the case of systems that use air there are separate set of disadvantages than is the case when using a system that uses liquid for its heat transfer medium. 

There is perhaps no more economical as well as cost beneficial way to make use of renewable technology than by opting to use an active solar water heating system. Such a system will help in significantly bringing down the need to use traditional water heating systems and does so by about as much as two-thirds. In addition, an active solar water heating system will cut your electricity or fossil fuel bills and more importantly will improve the environment by cutting out pollution.

 Electric Pumps, And Collectors

 An active solar water heating system relies mainly on electric pumps that along with collectors that circulate water or other fluids and together these two components round off the main components of the system. As a matter of fact, there are also three distinct types of active solar water heating systems that are worth knowing more about.

 The first type of active solar water heating system is the one known as direct-circulation system in which a pump circulates pressurized as well as potable water straight through collectors. Such types of systems are well suited for use in areas where there is little or no freezing and where the water is not hard or even acidic. However, such active solar water heating systems have not been given approval by Solar Rating & Certification Corporation, especially in case such systems also employ protection from recirculation freeze which requires use of electricity in order to ensure that the protection is effective.

 The other type of active solar water heating system is the indirect circulation systems which are further classified as antifreeze and drainback systems. The antifreeze indirect active solar water heating system uses a mixture of glycol and water whereas the drainback indirect active solar water heating system makes use of pumps to circulate water through collectors and which also means that water in collectors loop drains back into reservoir tanks whenever the pump stops working.

 The drainback indirect active solar water heating system is best suited in places where the climate is especially cold though such a system does also require to be installed very carefully to ensure that the piping is made to slope in a downward direction at all times so as to allow the water to completely drain out from the pipes. This however is not all that easily achievable.

 An active solar heating system is a practical solution to keeping a home or building warm and in fact, typically such systems are used to provide between forty and eighty percent of heating needs of a home. Systems that provide less than forty percent of the heating requirements are not cost effective and so must be avoided as much as possible. 

An active solar space heating system can be of two types, depending on the type of fuel used which normally is either air or liquid and which can be heated in the system’s solar heating collectors. A solar heating collector is a device that helps to heat fluid and its source of energy is of course the sun. For an active solar space heating system that is liquid based the water is heated with the help of hydronic collectors whereas in the case of air-based systems the air is heated in air collectors.

 Absorbs Radiation

 Whether you opt for an active solar space heating system that employs liquids or air they will each collect as well as absorb the radiation from the sun which is then transferred to interior spaces as well as perhaps to a storage system for further distribution. In the event that an active solar space heating system is not able to provide the required amount of space heating use is made of an auxiliary system that then provides the required amount of heat.

 The benefit of using an active solar space heating system that uses liquids for heating medium is that such a system is ideally suited for use with radiators (hot water) as well as with pumps as too coolers that work on absorption principle.

 Active solar space heating systems happen to be much cost beneficial, especially when they can be used for the major part of a year including in cold weather when there is ample amount of sunlight available. These systems happen to be more economical when they are also able to displace the more costly heating fuels of which propane, electricity as well as oil are good examples.

 Certain states in the US actually offer exemptions on sales tax as well as offer income tax credits and even deductions to those who use an active solar space heating system in their homes. There are also property tax exemptions that are offered for such users.

 However, costs of active solar space heating systems vary from between thirty to eighty dollars per sq.ft. for commercial systems and in fact it has also been established that switching to an active solar space heating system can help in dramatically reducing your winter fuel bills.

 An active solar water heating system can prove to be the right choice even though it does require additional source of energy such as electricity. However, it can still prove to be very effective in reducing your energy cost and so is being used by more and more people in the US.