Solar Hot Water Systems

Solar Water Heating Systems Use Heat From The Sun To Work Alongside Your Conventional Water Heater

Renewable energy is fast becoming a necessity in many house holds through-out the UK. Rising fuel costs and disruption of supply, combined with a genuine desire by home-owners to reduce their carbon footprint, is resulting in Solar Thermal Energy becoming one of the fastest growing renewable energies available.

Already this technology is available in many other European countries such as Germany which is on the same latitude as the UK, where 60% of homes benefit from solar power.

Each year the sun provides over 8000 times as much energy as we consume worldwide, and in the UK alone we receive solar radiation equivalent to the typical output of over 1,000 power stations.

What Is Solar Thermal Hot Water Heating?

Solfix's Solar Hot Water System, in it's simplest form, harnesses the sun's natural free energy via solar collectors located on your roof, transferring the abundant energy into your hot water cylinder for use in your home.

There are three main crucial components that make up a solar hot water system, these are:

• Solar panels
• Heat transfer system
• Hot water cylinder

How Does It Work?

Solar energy is absorbed by solar collector tubes which are mounted on the roof of your building in a southerly facing direction. When exposed to sunlight the solar collectors heat up to temperatures significantly above the ambient air temperature, and once it reaches 6°C warmer than the water in your hot water cylinder, heat will be transferred and pumped into a hot water cylinder via a one-piece stainless tube from the roof.

During summer months a solar hot water system can usually provide all your hot water needs, and about half that during the rest of the year. For example, solar thermal can meet up to 70% of annual hot water needs for a gas heated three-bed semi-detached house, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

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