Your Choices When It Comes To New York Solar Water Heaters

December 13, 2011 at 9:40 pm | Category: Solar Water Heater

A New York solar water heater can definitely save you money and reduce your footprint on the environment. With the right system, you can save up to 50-80% of your current water heating bills! Solar energy water heating systems can also be one of the more affordable ways to begin using solar energy in your home.

A whole house New York solar energy system can be more expensive to install, especially in an existing home, but the up-front cost of a water heating system that uses the sun’s energy can be more affordable, and can save you quite a bit over time. So how do they work, and how do you choose the best one for your home?

What Should a Solar Powered Water Heater Do?

Use the sun’s energy to heat your water
Store the heated water for you
Get the hot water from the storage location to where you need it, such as the shower, tub, or sink, using gravity or a pump
Optional, but usually desired – a back up system to heat your water during those times the sun simply doesn’t shine or if you have family members who use up all the hot water with long showers!

What Do You Need to Consider?

what you first need to consider is to decide which type of water heating system will work the best in your climate and how efficient it will be. Does the sun shine relatively often or only sometimes?

Then, you need to know how much hot water you will need for your home, which will determine size of heater and type of collector. Last, you’ll likely want a water heating system that won’t overwhelm your budget!

Types of Solar Water Heating

New York Solar Water Heater – “Tankless”

This type of heater is mounted on a roof and appears to be a series of tubes in a panel configuration. There is no tank with this version. It is installed between the existing pump and electric water heater.

How does it work? The heated water, which is heated by the sun shining down on the roof, is stored in your electrical water heating tank until you need it. When you need the hot water, turn on the electrical water heater and your pump will pressurize the water and send it into the house.

New York Solar Water Heater with a Tank

Also called a thermosyphon system, this type of heater has the storage tank that sits above the tubes on top of your roof. Water is pumped to the New York solar panel; the water is heated, and then is stored in the tank on the roof.

When water is needed, the electric water heater is bypassed and the water flows into the house by way of gravity. In order to heat water when the sun isn’t shining, you’ll want to add a backup electrical heating element.

Passive or Active Technology

Depending on your geographical location and climate, you’ll need to decide between an active New York solar heater or a passive one. An active heater for water utilizes pumps, electricity, and controls, so it can be used literally any where in the world. A passive system doesn’t require electricity or pumps and therefore can only be used in warm geographical locations.

Installation of a New York Solar Power Water Heater

It’s best to hire a qualified solar thermal systems contractor for this installation. A New York solar powered water heater installation requires knowledge in New York solar technologies, climate factors, building codes, safety requirements and many other details.

To find a New York solar expert in your area, you can look in your local phone directory and also online. Depending on where you live, your local heating and cooling businesses may have information about solar options and also the best type of New York solar water heater for your home.

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