Do It Yourself Solar Hot Water

Using solar energy for domestic water heating is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your power bill and the carbon footprint of a household. 

Either evacuated tubes or flat plate collectors can be used for diy solar hot water. A conventional boiler or immersion heater can be used to produce hot water for those occasions when the sun does not oblige, which is often necessary for night-heating or in countries where sun exposure is weak in winter. 

The type of system chosen depends firstly on whether freezing is likely to occur. In climates where freezing is not a problem, there are three main options:

• A batch heater
• A direct pump system
• Or a thermosiphon system

A batch heater employs a storage tank for collection; a direct pump system moves water from a collector to a storage tank; and a thermosiphon system uses gravity, and no pump. 

If temperatures are low enough to cause freezing, then drainback or closed loop systems with heat exchangers and antifreeze will be required. 

Drainback systems use distilled water to transfer heat, while closed loop systems circulate antifreeze and use a heat exchanger to transmit the heat to prevent freezing.

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Do It Yourself Solar Electricity

Most people choose to have solar photovoltaic (electricity-producing) panels installed on the roof of their homes as this provides elevation and consequently less chance of the panels being shaded by surrounding buildings and trees. 

If the panels are at the same angle as the roof, they are afforded better protection from the wind, and are less likely to be damaged. 

There are, however, some limiting factors: the roof must provide sufficient space to accommodate the solar panels, the roof structure needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the solar panels, and the roof must face the sun (face south in the northern hemisphere and north in the southern hemisphere), and it must be unshaded for most of the day. 

If solar panels are at a different angle to the roof, planning permission may be required. 

Non-roof-mounted solar panels allow for increased flexibility in placement and are suitable for use in circumstances where the roof does not meet the above requirements.

While solar panels are expensive to install, once installed they require very little maintenance, and will yield value for many years to come – the resultant savings on electricity bills could quickly exceed the cost of installation and maintenance. 

In addition, rebates and tax credits are often available, with a tax credit of 30% of the cost offered in the United States. Households with large electricity bills will experience the greatest financial return on this investment. 

Solar panels can also greatly increase the value of a house, with potential buyers seeing the potential electricity saving as a huge incentive.

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