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. Domestic hot water is the second-highest energy cost in the typical household.
Will I have to purchase multiple products to get my system going?
Zager Plumbing & Solar are providing 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. A well-designed system will provide 50-80% of a home's hot water needs (less in winter, more in summer), and can pay for itself in less than five years depending on how your water is currently being heated.
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 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 stores water that is heated first 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. There are many kinds and sizes of tanks at various prices. Their purpose is to store water that has been preheated by the captured solar heat so that you don't need to rely as much on heating it with some other energy source (e.g., electric, oil, gas, etc.).
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. There are two basic types:
Internal Heat Exchanger - located inside the storage tank and included with the tank component of the system. So with this type you would not need to purchase an additional heat exchanger.
External Heat Exchanger - may be located free of the tank or attached to the outside of any tank. In systems that use an external heat exchanger, the tank and the heat exchanger are considered separate components.
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 area for each person in the household.
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 (ideally facing south, but can be 45° east or west of south (between southeast and southwest), and be tilted at a 45 degree angle (ideally 45° from the horizon, but can be between 20° and 60°).
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.
In order for a collector model to be certified and rated by SRCC, the collector must first pass a series of tests performed on a sample unit which has been randomly selected by SRCC from the manufacturer's production. You can see the certification requirements that each model goes through prior to passing on SRCC's website:
www.solar-rating.org
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?
The Florida Solar Energy System Incentives Program provides a set dollar amount rebate for the purchase and installation of solar domestic water heating and solar thermal swimming pool heating systems. Photovoltaic (solar electric) systems and commercial solar water heating system rebates are based upon system size and performance.
What is a rebate?
A rebate means a cash payment after the purchase of a qualified solar system. The expense of purchasing and installing the system is the responsibility of the rebate applicant.
The solar rebate program, created in 2006 by the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act, was structured as a four-year program. Any resident of Florida who purchases and installs a new solar energy system from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2010, is eligible for a rebate on a portion of the purchase price of that solar energy system. While our funding for FY2008-2009 is already exhausted we will continue to accept applications for the next fiscal year. If you apply for the rebate program and your application is approved, you will be placed on a waiting list. If the program is appropriated with funding for FY2009-2010 by the Legislature, your application will be granted funding based on the order it was received. Again, the rebate checks will be dispensed on a quarterly schedule.
To keep up to date on Florida's Changes visit:
Florida Department of State website:
www.dep.state.fl.us/energy
Can I apply for more than one rebate?
Rebates are limited to one solar water heater, one solar pool heater and one photovoltaic system per resident.
Do I have to report my rebate as income on my federal tax return?
No, the rebate is not considered taxable income, but you will need to deduct it from the cost of the system when you are calculating your federal solar energy tax credit. You should consult your financial advisor for assistance.
Amount of Solar Rebates
How much are the rebates?
- Solar thermal swimming pool heaters are eligible for a $100 rebate per system
- Solar domestic water heaters are eligible for a $500 rebate per system
- Commercial solar water heating systems are eligible for a rebate of $15 per 1,000 Btu, with a maximum rebate amount of $5,000
- Photovoltaic systems of 2 kilowatts (kW) or larger can qualify for a rebate based on the manufacturer's power output rating of the system. The amount is $4 per Watt with a residential cap of $20,000 and a $100,000 cap for commercial, publicly-owned, or private non-profit organizations.
How many rebates will the State of Florida issue this year?
The Florida Legislature appropriated $3.5 million for solar rebates this year (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008). These rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To check the amount of rebate funds remaining for this year, please visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/energy and click on "Incentives".
Solar Rebate Application Requirements
What is the deadline for submitting a rebate application?
Rebate applications must be received within 90 days of system purchase. This means that the application must be received in our office within 90 days of the purchase. Be sure to follow the instructions on the rebate application carefully and be sure to submit the required attachments.
How do I submit a rebate application?
Rebate applications may be submitted via certified mail or by hand delivery to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Rebate applications must be received within 90 days of the system purchase.
What documents are required to receive a rebate?
The following documents must be received, within 90 days of the system purchase, to be considered for a solar rebate:
- A completed Florida Solar Energy System Incentives Program Rebate Application Form;
- A photocopy of the original signed purchase agreement showing the installation date, system cost, payment received and system location
- And a photograph of the installed system.
Solar System Installation Requirements
Can I install the solar equipment myself?
Florida Law requires systems to be installed by a contractor. Systems that are not installed by an appropriately licensed contractor are not eligible for a rebate. In addition, the system must be certified as operational by the contractor that installs it and must meet any applicable local building codes.
For solar water heating systems, the contractor must have a valid solar or plumbing license. Solar pool heaters must be installed by a licensed solar, swimming pool or plumbing contractor. For photovoltaic systems, the contractor must have a valid state certified solar contractor (CV) or electrical license. A solar contractor with a CW license is not authorized to install a photovoltaic system.
What local building requirements do I have to meet?
To find out if your local government has building codes related to the installation of solar equipment, contact your City or County Code Compliance Office. Your installing contractor should also be familiar with local building permit requirements.
Contact Information
Who can I contact for additional information on the Florida Solar Energy Incentives Program?
For additional information on solar rebates, please contact the Florida Energy Office at:
Department of Environmental Protection
ATTN: Solar Energy System Incentives Program
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS-21
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
Phone: (850) 245-8002
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 | 
Plumbing Heating Cooling
Contractors Association |
American Solar
Energy Society
|
International
Solar Energy Society |
"Green" Hotels
Association |
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