How Can I Benefit from a Solar Heating System?

With solar heating you can use the sun’s natural heat to heat water for your house, your business or your swimming pool. This type of system uses a specialized solar panel that heats vacuum sealed tubing. These tubes are usually made out of glass and some of them have special coatings that make it easier for them to absorb heat instead of flat panels. The fluid contained in these tubes heats up and travels into your house where it warms the water in your boiler.

Solar Heating – Hot Water Heaters/Boilers

For the most part, solar heating is used within the home. The tubing panels are installed on the roof of the home where they can receive the most sunlight. The fluid, which is in motion, enters your house and heats the water in your boiler. This can have multiple benefits. First, during the mild months (generally March through October) the solar heating system can provide all your water heating needs. This reduces the amount of money people normally pay to run their electric or gas boilers. Many people save around £40 a year with one of these systems.

Second, these solar heating systems can also help offset costs during the winter time. Even though they might not be able to heat the water all the way to a certain temperature they can naturally raise the water temperature somewhat. This makes it easier for your water heater to do the rest, and it means that it spends less time using electricity or gas to increase your water temperature. Swimming pools can also benefit from solar heating systems.

Underfloor Heating Systems

Solar heating systems can also provide heat to your house. Underfloor heating systems are one way to do this. The pipes that contain the heated fluid run under the flooring in your house releasing heat. This can help make your home more temperate during the winter months, and it can help reduce your heating bills. In some systems, it is actually the water that is heated in the boiler that is pumped under the floors for additional heating. These systems often cannot work off of solar panels alone, especially in the middle of the winter. However, the solar aspect of these systems does make them more environmentally friendly and affordable.

Many countries also provide monetary incentives for installing and using renewable heating systems like solar heating. For example, the UK has the Renewable Heat Incentive. While the payouts for solar heating systems are fairly low, you can still stand to benefit. If your solar heating or solar thermal system produces less than 200 kilowatt hours, it is eligible to receive 8.5 p per kilowatt hour produced. Additionally, you can only receive this benefit if you are using an evacuated tube or flat plate system.

Even if you are not eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive, a solar heating system is relatively inexpensive to install. They cost around £4000, which is a lot, but it is often lower than installing traditional PV solar panels.