Below you will find the 20 Questions you Must have the Answers to When Buying a
Commercial Solar Hot Water System

• Because You Need to Take Advantage of all Available Tax Credits and Tax Rebates
   
• Because Not Knowing the Answers to These Questions Can Cost You Time, Money and Frustration
   
• Because You Can’t be Sold or Fooled When You Have the Information You Need To Make a Smart Purchase
   
• Because You Have Better Things To Spend Your Money On

If you have ANY questions that we can answer for you, please ask using our Buyers Guide form and we'll respond to you promptly.


How do solar hot water collectors work?

Solar hot water collectors collect heat from the sun's heat radiance to directly heat domestic hot water that is circulated through the collectors and then back to a solar thermal storage tank or water heater to supply hot water to the home or facility. Some solar hot water systems use a transfer fluid in a sealed system that is pumped up to the collectors, heated and returned to a storage tank to heat the water supply.

Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don't.

Three types of solar collectors include:

Flat-plate collector
Glazed flat-plate collectors are insulated, weatherproofed boxes that contain a dark absorber plate under one or more glass or plastic (polymer) covers. Unglazed flat-plate collectors-typically used for solar pool heating-have a dark absorber plate, made of metal or polymer, without a cover or enclosure.

Integral collector-storage systems
Also known as ICS or batch systems, they feature one or more black tanks or tubes in an insulated, glazed box. Cold water first passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water. The water then continues on to the conventional backup water heater, providing a reliable source of hot water. They should be installed only in mild-freeze climates because the outdoor pipes could freeze in severe, cold weather.

Evacuated-tube solar collectors
These collectors feature parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin's coating absorbs solar energy but inhibits heat loss. These collectors are used more frequently for U.S. commercial applications.

There are two types of active solar water heating systems:

Direct circulation systems
Pumps circulate water through the collectors and then into the home or business. They work well in climates where it rarely freezes.

Indirect circulation systems
Pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger. This heats the water that then flows into the home or business. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.

There are two basic types of passive systems:

Integral collector-storage passive systems
These work best in areas where temperatures rarely fall below freezing. They also work well in homes or businesses with significant daytime and evening hot-water needs.

Thermosyphon systems
Water flows through the system when warm water rises as cooler water sinks. The collector must be installed below the storage tank so that warm water will rise into the tank. These systems are reliable, but contractors must pay careful attention to the roof design because of the heavy storage tank. They are usually more expensive than integral collector-storage passive systems.

Solar water heating systems almost always require a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand. Conventional storage water heaters usually provide backup and may already be part of the solar hot water system package.

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