The need for hot water use in our homes on a regular basis is a drive that will require technology to cover for the labor. Be it gas, firewood or oil, water has to be heated. Overtime, people have depended on electricity to heat water on a daily basis, raising the costs as it heaps large amounts of energy. But what many haven’t realized is the solar water heating technology
Solar water heating technology is an alternative to electric water heating or traditional water heating which was done by firewood or charcoal among other available options. Solar water heating in this case is using a solar thermal collector to heat water by sunlight. Heated via light-concentrating mirrors or heated directly, the solar panels operate as hybrids with electric heaters or gas heaters but most of them operate independently.
Apart from large scale industrial applications where mirrors concentrate sunlight into smaller collectors, solar water heating is also widely used for residential applications which is common in areas of unreliable or no electricity. Solar water heating being a cheaper way of heating water compared to others, has been embraced widely with expansive knowledge of it’s benefits. These benefits include; have you considered economy 7? An economy 7 tariff is a type of tariff that is applied to the electricity supply. It is a fixed charge that covers the cost of the electricity supply and distribution. The charge can be applied to all consumers or only to those who use more than a certain amount of energy.
Zero Cost
Latterly, people have depended widely on electricity to provide power to cook, light and heat water. This, though, has been expensive as compared to solar water heating technology which depends on a renewable energy source which requires no costs whatsoever.
Efficiency
Solar water heaters depending fully on sunlight lack the inconvenience that may come along with other technologies as the energy is available even on cloudy weather. Converting approximately 80% of radiation into heat energy, money on fuel bills is reduced completely.
Environmental friendly
Whereas solar panels have a lower carbon footprint and zero emissions into the atmosphere, they prove to be environmentally friendly. By using energy from the environment itself, there wouldn’t be a better way to go green.
Cheap installation
Even though they require an initial investment, solar water heater price become cheaper with long term benefits. Once it is installed from an initial price, one is free to use it efficiently at no cost unless a replacement or repair is required on the solar panel. This is very rare thing to happen.
Low maintenance
With a guarantee of 20 to 25 years of smooth and easy use of the solar panel, it requires low maintenance. Since they have zero moving parts, a solar panel promises no wear and tear which requires repair every now and then. In this case, they demand a simple cleaning after a span of time.
Save on space
From basic layman knowledge, a solar panel is known to be mounted on the roofs of buildings. Occupying the unused space, it couldn’t be economical.
An example of a solar panel mounted on the roof of a house.
Conclusion
Having multiple choices of heating water to choose from, we can conclude that solar water heating is the cheapest, yet the least tedious way of heating water. Not forgetting it’s quality efficiency and long term serve, we then can conclude that it is the best yet.
