Homeowners – Beat the Winter Heating Blues with Solar Hot Water

There is no doubt that heating costs are atraditional water heater), and through your energy
tremendous burden on the cost of living insavings, will completely pay for itself within 1 to 3
today’s cash-strapped economy. As moreyears. After the Solar Hot Water System has
and more Americans face an increasing creditcompletely paid for itself, it will continue save you
crunch, the costs associated with our veryhundreds of dollars a year – and over the
survival are becoming more and more unbearable,lifetime of the system, a Solar Hot Water Heater
and our incomes are not increasing at a rate fastcan pay for itself several times over through
enough to meet the demands on our money.energy savings over the 25 to 30 year lifetime of
One of the biggest expenditures for Americans isyour Solar Collectors.
the cost of heating water and their homes.For your home, Solar Hot Water can be used for
Whether you rent a home or apartment, or owna variety of applications – this versatility allows
your own, home and water heating costs canyou to save money on almost every aspect of
account for 40% of our monthly and annual billsyour heating bills. With a moderate sized Solar
– sometimes even more in the winter months.Water Heater, you can eliminate between 60 and
This percentage could also grow even higher as oil80% of your water heating bills for all of the
prices continue to reach all-time highs. In fact,following:
recently the price of crude oil hit $100 a barrel,· Washing Laundry
driving the prices of fuel oil, natural gas and other· Washing Dishes
heating fuels higher overnight.· Showers and Personal Grooming
If your heating costs have you in an increasingly· General Household Cleaning
tight financial situation every month, you mayAnd, the hot water can also be used as part of a
want to consider one of the most cost-effectiveRadiant Floor or baseboard heating system –
and affordable solutions to higher heating costswhich can be used to space heat your entire
– Solar Water Heating. With Solar Hot Waterhome free of cost.
Systems, you can cut your home and waterThere are two main types of Solar Collectors
heating bills by as much as 60 to 80% from theused for Solar Water Heating:
very first month after installation.1. Flat Plate Solar Collectors – these collectors
A Solar Hot Water System is essentially a waterare extremely efficient in Southern, warm, sunny
heater that is designed to supplement yourclimates, and typically the least-expensive Solar
current water heater. The Solar Hot WaterCollector, making them very cost-effective and
Collectors preheat your water through the powerattractive to homeowners.
of the sun, which means that your current oil,2. Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors – these
propane or natural gas heater is used far lesscollectors are more efficient than Flat Plate Solar
while still providing the same level comfort andCollectors in Northern climates where
safety. As you less and less of these traditionaltemperatures are colder, winters are longer, and
heating fuels, your monthly and annual bills willthe days are shorter. While Evacuated Tube Solar
begin to go down – saving you hundreds ofCollectors are typically more expensive that Flat
dollars a year, and thousands of dollars over thePlate Solar Collectors, their extended performance
lifetime of the Solar Water Heater.and increase efficiency in Northern Climates allow
The best part is, a Solar Hot Water System canfor faster paybacks and higher returns on
be purchased and installed for under $4,000 ininvestment.
many cases (less or roughly the same as a new