Maintenance for your solar water heating system

Maintenance is a very important factor to make your solar water heating system effective and long lasting. It is very important to keep a check on the maintenance of your solar water heating system, so it may sustain its efficiency for a long period of time. We will discuss some maintenance tips in this post to make it possible for you to get the maximum out of your solar water heating system.

Cleaning is the simplest and important way to keep your solar water heating system in good working conditions. You will be required to clean solar heat panels sometimes to make their surface clear to collect maximum sunlight.  

Make sure that all parts of the system are intact. Repair or replace if the glass cover and outer seals of the solar heat panels have cracks or any other damage. 

Make sure that your solar water heating system are perfectly secured to your structure. Check the nuts and bolts, to see if they are properly fastened to the solar heat panels and your roof.

Most types of solar heat panels use a safety valve which regulates the pressure of water. Make sure that the pressure relief valve is working.  You can easily examine the working of a valve. Release the valve to let the fluid flow, if it doesn’t then replace the valve. Never forget to close the valve after inspection. It is recommended by many manufacturers of solar water heating system to check the functioning of valves every six months.

Maintenance of the solar hot water pumps are very important for the steady working of a solar water heating systems. Examine the working of the hot water pumps during the peak sunlight hours to check if it works properly. If the pump doesn’t circulate the water, it means some of the parts of the pump are not working and require repair or replacement.

Flush your system occasionally to keep it clean and free of any settled sediments in the tank.  In order to clean your storage tank attach a water hose to the drain valve of the tank. Flush the storage tank until all settled sediments at the bottom of storage tank flow out. Repeat the process of flushing at least two times in a year.

If you are looking for more information about the maintenance of any type of solar water heating system, you can contact Smith Sustainable Design. We can guide you how to make your residential solar water heating system work effectively for a longer time. 

Types of solar thermal systems

Energy from the sun can be utilized to meet your hot water needs with the help of highly energy efficient solar hot water systems. There are different types of solar hot water systems designed for different applications. Let’s discuss the types and working of the variety of solar hot water systems.

Passive Solar Water Heaters

Passive solar water heaters are the most simple and affordable design of solar hot water systems. Their efficiency is not comparable to active solar hot water systems, but they are inexpensive, reliable and long-lasting. This system also requires considerably less maintenance as compared to the other available designs. The passive system does not need moving parts to circulate water which makes it less expensive and maintenance free. There are two types of passive solar water heaters.

1.       Batch systems

2.       Thermosyphon systems

A batch system or integral collector storage system is suitable in conditions where temperature does not fall below freezing point. This system can meet your hot water needs in a day time and also during the evening peak hours. The storage capacity of a batch system is about 20 to 40 gallons of hot water per day.

In thermosyphon systems, an insulated water storage tank is used in combination with flat plate solar collectors. This type of solar hot water systems is also appropriate in climate where temperature rarely drops below freezing. Thermosyphon systems meet your hot water needs providing 30 to 80 gallons of hot water every day.

Active Solar Water Heaters

A pump is used in active solar hot water heaters to circulate the hot water within the system. This addition of pumps makes it more expensive than passive solar water heaters. This system also protects the collectors and tank from freezing. Active water heater systems also have two types.

1.       Open loop systems

2.       Closed loop systems

Open loop systems or direct circulation systems are appropriate in the warm climate, where temperate often remains above freezing. In this system, you can receive 40 to 80 gallons each day for your household hot water needs.

Closed loop systems or indirect circulation systems are suitable in freezing temperatures. The hot water capacity for this systems is also large. You can get 40 to 120 gallons of water every day to meet your hot water requirements.

All the types of solar hot water heaters are reliable and productive. Smith Sustainable Design takes great care of all factors required to be considered in planting solar hot water heaters. We guide you to decide suitable type of system design which serves you the best. We design energy efficient solar hot water system to make you comfortable about hot water needs throughout the year.

Components of Solar Thermal Systems

Solar thermal is an advanced and energy efficient technology that can meet all your hot water needs for your home.  Other heating systems involve burning of fossil fuels. Like natural gas and oil cause a serious threat to the environment by emitting harmful gases on burning. The fuel for solar thermal system comes from the sun, and the system does not involve any burning. Solar thermal systems do not produce electricity from the sunlight, but they absorb energy from the sun, using it for water heating. Main components of solar thermal systems are solar collectors and storage tanks.

Collector panels are of three types used in solar hot water systems for residential use.

1.       Flat plate collectors

2.       Evacuated-tube solar collectors

3.       Integral collectors

Flat plate collector is an insulated metal box which contains solar absorber plate at the bottom and a glass cover at the top. Insulation around flat plate collectors makes them weatherproof.

Evacuated tube solar collectors contain a metal absorber and rows of transparent glass tubes. Metal absorber in the inner glass tube absorbs sunlight and produce heat.

Integral collector storage system or batch system contain large size heating tubes placed inside an insulated box.  This system does not require electronic controls and circulation pumps.

Working of each collector panels is different and suitable in different conditions. We help our clients to decide which collector panel is right for them to produce hot water for their homes.                           

For the purpose of hot water storage, large insulated tanks are used in solar water heating systems.  Number of storage tanks could be one or two depending upon the type of heating systems. One tank storage connects to the collectors and contains backup water heater and solar thermal storage in it. In heating system of two tanks, before moving water to a conventional heater, solar water heater preheats the water.

If you cannot meet your household demands with a solar thermal heater, you may need a backup heating source. It is to provide energy when the weather is cold and cloudy. To solve this problem, sometimes we use a solar hot water system in combination with a conventional water heater. For a backup hot water, the equipment of solar water heater can also be used with solar heat panels or tank-less water heater.

You can reduce your dependency on conventional water heater by installing solar thermal systems for your home needs. Making use of the sunlight, solar thermal systems can bear all the heating load of your home. You pay heavy amount in the form of utility bills while pool heating, long hot showers and laundry. It is about time to implement a solar thermal system in your home, to meet all hot water requirements in a cost and energy efficient manner.

Solar Thermal vs. Solar Electricity

In general, we associate  solar energy with solar electric power but there is one another type of solar energy, that is solar thermal. Solar thermal and solar electricity are not the same although the source of both is the sun. Solar electricity is a method of electricity production directly from the sun, with the help of solar panels. You can use this electricity to power your home. Solar thermal, on the other hand, is a technique of generating heat from the sun. Let’s compare both these types of solar energy to get a better idea about their working and differences.

What they do

Solar photovoltaic system directly converts solar energy into an electrical current. Photovoltaic panels absorb sunlight and convert it into an electric charge. This electric charge can be used to power your home appliances.

Solar thermal energy makes use of the sunlight to produce heat. Heat acquired by the solar thermal energy process can be used for water heating and radiant space heating.

Efficiency

Solar thermal or solar heat technology is highly efficient as compared to the solar electric power. Storage of heat is much easier and cost-effective than the storage of electricity produced by PV panels. Solar hot water system is more than eighty percent efficient where solar panels are only fourteen to twenty percent efficient. It makes the solar hot water system most efficient and advanced technology of solar energy.

Equipment

Collection panels are the basic equipment used in both solar electric system and solar thermal system. Collection panels gather energy from the sun and convert it into electricity or heat. Basic unit of solar electric system is photovoltaic cells, an array of PV cells make photovoltaic panels used to produce electricity.  Solar heat panels are linked with plumbing, and photovoltaic panels are connected with wiring - which is another difference between the two systems.

Solar thermal equipment can not only produce electricity for your home, but it also solves your hot water and other heating problems. Solar hot water system allows you to have highly efficient source of heat and hot water for your shower, laundry and dishwashing. In order to plan and install solar thermal technology for your home, contact Smith Sustainable Design based in Pennsylvania; PA and New Jersey; NJ.