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| Cost of Installation and Use |
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| Solar water heaters are usually costly to purchase and install. The running costs are however low as compared to other water heaters. Because sun is free, price hikes and shortages does not affect them. The savings depend upon your water usage. |
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| Location of Installation |
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| Always evaluate the solar resource of your intended place of installation. This is a measure of how much sunlight you have to operate the heater. Modern solar water heaters can also utilize diffused sunlight. This is why you don’t a lot of direct sunlight to operate a solar water heater. Contact your local contractor for a (usually free) valuation of your solar resource. If you have a south facing house, it is a good candidate for a solar water heater. |
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| Size of the Water Heating System |
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| The usefulness of solar water heaters depend upon two things; the collector that collects the sunlight and the water tank that stores the hot water. Usually these factors are related to the number of people in the household. For a three person unit, a standard size collector and a medium sized tank suffice. For larger families, the contractor will determine the size of both collector and tank using a verity of computer programs. |
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| Always Check the Ratings Specific to Solar Water Heaters |
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There are two ratings developed specially for solar water heaters.
Solar Energy Factor (SEF) is the ratio of sun’s energy in the total energy utilized by the system. The higher this rating is, the more efficient the system is. Another related rating is Solar Fraction (SF). This is the ratio of solar energy used in backup water heat management. Always check these two ratings. The higher they are the better the system is. |
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| Always Hire an Experienced Contractor |
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| In order to save a few bucks, many people hire an inexperienced contractor. These contractors may install the system but there are always some flaws in their work that will snowball into costly repairs. |
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| Costs Associated with Installation and Operation |
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| There are some costs associated with installation and operation that are not apparent in the contract. These include costs of material and special equipment. Always clarify each item on the contract with the contractor. |
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| Check the Building Codes |
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Installation of Solar water heaters may require changes to roof and sides of the house. You many need to extend the roof by a few feet or clear some area to let more sunlight to the collector. Usually your contractor will advice you on these changes and handles the permits. If not contact your local town hall for information BEFORE installation.
A solar water heater is good on environment and easy on your wallet. In the hands of a capable contractor, installation and operation of solar water heaters is smooth sailing. |
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