Solar Heating
Solar heating is the answer for high winter heating bills. As long as you have sunlight you can have heat! No more shivering in your cold house because you fear the heating bill!
Passive Solar HeatingOkay passive solar heating is just a method of using the building design features, such as large south-facing windows, and materials in the floors or walls that absorb the sun’s warmth during the day and releasing that stored warmth back into the living space at night when it is needed.Passive heating systems usually have one of these three designs:
Direct GainDirect gain heating can be as easy as opening your blinds and drapes and letting the sunshine in. Capture all that free heat energy and then when the sun sets close all the drapes and shades to keep in the warmth. That’s right once you’ve captured it, lock it in!
Indirect GainIndirect Gain uses materials such as masonry, tile, concrete or even water tanks to store the solar energy and then release it into the living space after the sun sets.
Isolated GainIsolated Gain is just a fancy word for using a sunroom or attached greenhouse that collects warm air that then flows naturally to the rest of the house.
Active Solar Space HeatingActive solar heating systems consist of collectors that collect and absorb solar radiation combined with electric fans or pumps to transfer and distribute the heat. Active systems usually have an energy storage system to provide heat when the sun is not shining. The two basic types of active solar space-heating systems use either liquid or air as the heat-transfer medium in their solar energy collectors.
Liquid-based systemsLiquid-based solar heating systems heat water in a flat plate collector and then pump the heated water to a heat exchanger (like a radiator) where the heat is “radiated” to the interior space. These systems would need to use a antifreeze solution where temperatures are below freezing at night.
Air-based systemsAir-based solar heating systems heat air in a flat plat collector and then pass the air using fans and ducting to the interior space. These systems can be integrated in the existing home heating duct system so that all rooms receive heat or individual heating units can be installed for separate rooms.Back from Solar Heating to Your Solar Energy Home Page
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