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On Greenovate, LEED accredited professionals Joe and Jessica Goodman use their knowledge of sustainable development to plan an amazing renovation for their 3-story Santa Monica condo. This super green team decides to install a solar water heater to reduce energy costs and conserve resources. Find out if this green renovation is right for you!
If you’d like to invest in the environment and lower your monthly home energy bill, consider installing a solar water heater. This alternative to conventional systems won’t cost you a penny to run. Conservative estimates of the cost reduction fall between 50% and 80%. The notion is pretty exciting when you consider heating hot water is a significant part of your home’s overall energy consumption.
How does it work? Solar water heating systems use absorber panels to harvest the sun’s energy. Water is heated in tubes located in close proximity to the panel system or in a storage unit connected to a conventional water heater. Some homeowners use the solar source as their main system and the conventional system as their back-up. This strategy allows for uninterrupted service if something should happen to the absorbers, but does not have the same cost savings.
Interested in using the sun to run your hot water system? Here are some questions you’ll need to consider before heading to the hardware store:
- Is your current system running efficiently?
- Do you have the initial investment capital to purchase a solar powered system?
- Are there enough solar experienced installation and repair professionals in your community to keep your system up and running?
- Are their tax incentives you can take advantage of to help offset the costs?
- Do the long term savings outweigh the initial costs?
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