What can I do to lower expensive hot water demands?
There are several relatively inexpensive ways to reduce your hot water demands, including low flow shower heads and insulating hot water pipes and tanks.
Will I have to purchase multiple products to get my system going?
Zager Plumbing & Solar provides solar hot water kits because they are a proven, simple and very cost effective technology for generating hot water. Although, for large commercial projects, we will design/build a system per your specifications.
How does a solar hot water system work?
There are two kinds of solar panels available today. A solar electric or photovoltaic panel captures the sun's light energy and converts it into electricity. A solar hot water or solar thermal panel captures the sun's heat energy and uses it to heat water for faucets and showers. This hot water can also be used to provide heat for your home with radiant tubing in your floors.
How many different types of solar hot water systems are there?
There are two basic types of solar hot water systems, active and passive.
What are the components of a Solar Hot Water System?
Here are the basic components of a closed loop system:
- Solar Panel(s) to capture solar energy.
- Circulation system to move a fluid between the panels to a storage tank
- Storage tank for the hot water
- Heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the sun-heated fluid to your water
- Backup heating system to give you hot water on cloudy days
- Control package to regulate the overall system operation
How do Solar Panels work?
Solar Panels are flat boxes with tubing running through them and a glass cover. They are generally mounted on the roof, but can be on the ground or pole mounted. Fluid - either water or food grade glycol - flows through the tubes, collecting the sun's heat energy and carrying it via a plumbing line to a hot water tank in your utility room or basement. The number and total area of the collectors will be determined by your hot water needs. The collectors (solar panels) are supplied by the manufacturer or vendor of the solar hot water system.
How many types of panels are there?
There are many kinds of solar panels. Here are 2 examples:
"Flat Plate" - simpler, less expensive, quite efficient.
"Evacuated Tube" - somewhat more efficient at capturing solar heat energy at low angles, but far more expensive.
What is the role of the hot water storage tank?
The storage tank holds water that has been heated by the sun. If the temperature of this water is too low due to cloudy weather, then the backup heat source kicks in to bring the water up to temperature. They vary in size.
Do I need a heat exchanger?
The transfer of the heat from the fluid circulating in the pipe to the surrounding potable water is accomplished by a heat exchanger. Heat exchanges are used in several types of systems & are not always required.
Do I need a backup heater?
Yes, you need a backup source of heat for cloudy periods or in the winter when hot water use usually increases and the amount of heat taken from the sun generally decreases a bit. This backup source can be your existing hot water heater like a boiler or existing hot water tank. If you already have a hot water tank heated by some other source, the solar preheat tank would generally be installed next to it and be connected to it. If you are starting from scratch and installing a "stand alone" solar hot water system, then you will need a new backup system. We recommend you consider an on-demand hot water heater that just heats water when you need it.
What are the guidelines for Solar Hot Water Systems?
A well designed system will provide 50-80% of a home's hot water needs (less in winter, more in summer).
There should be 10-15 square feet of solar collector per person.
The storage tank should hold 20-30 gallons per person.
There should be no shade on the collectors during the hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM year round.
The collectors should face as close to south as possible
The collectors and storage tank should be in close proximity to the backup heat source and hot water distribution system to avoid excessive pipe losses.
The pipes need to be well insulated.
Mixing valves or thermal shutoff devices should be employed to protect from excessively high temperatures.
How do I know if I'm selecting the right solar hot water system for my home or business?
Select systems that are tested and certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC).
Zager Plumbing & Solar, Inc only uses solar systems certified by the SRCC. br>
How can I get a quote?
Contact Zager Plumbing & Solar, Inc at 954.481.2629 or
contact us through our website and we will be happy to speak to you about your solar needs.
Florida Residents Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Florida Solar Energy System Incentives Program?
For all information regarding Florida Solar Energy System Incentives, FPL incentives, and federal tax breaks, please click on the link below:
Florida Solar Energy Rebates
Zager Plumbing and Solar, Inc
149 SE 4th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
1-800-870-6321
954-481-2629
Fax: 954-481-1654
CFC 041677
CVC 56804
Florida Solar Energy
Industries Association
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