Have you ever felt warm water trickle out of a garden hose that’s been sitting in the sun? If so, then you have witnessed solar water heating in action.

Now imagine that same water moving slowly though a system specifically designed to heat and store water – that is the essence of solar thermal water heating. People have for centuries used water heated by the sun and stored it for bathing, hand washing, cleaning clothes, heating homes and much more. The solar thermal systems used today combine the most efficient techniques for capturing the sun’s heat with modern plumbing systems to produce cost-effective hot water and reduce the need for gas or electricity to heat water.

A Solar Thermal system works by harnessing the sun’s energy and converting it into heat, that is then transferred to your home or business. The solar collector utilises the sun’s rays to heat a transfer fluid which is a mixture of water and glycol, to prevent the water from freezing in the winter. There are a number of different solar thermal designs, but all are based on the same simple principle as the garden hose. Each has its pros and cons, and each is suitable for a specific application. 

An important distinction among solar thermal systems is whether they are of direct or indirect design.

In an indirect system, also known as “closed loop,” a simple pump moves the antifreeze solution through a loop into the solar collector, through the collector’s pipes, and out of the solar collector. Then, the sun-warmed antifreeze solution flows into a heat-transfer unit where it warms the cool water heading into a conventional hot water tank. The antifreeze solution then returns to the pump and again flows into the solar collector without ever mixing with the building’s water. Indirect systems are encouraged in climates with extended periods of below-freezing temperatures. We primarily install these types of systems. We find they produce the greatest amount of energy, more consistently, with a greater service life than other types of systems.

A direct system, also known as “open loop,” is a little simpler. There is no antifreeze solution; the water heated directly by the sun is the same water used by building occupants. A thermometer and controller sense when the solar collector is warm and ready to heat water. The controller starts a pump that moves cold water into the solar collector, where it is heated. The solar heated water is then stored in a conventional hot water tank. It is typical, especially during high use or periods of little sun for the water to be kept warm through supplemental gas or electricity. This type of system, because it circulates pure, potable water through an outdoor collector, is susceptible to freezing in many climates, unless safeguards are added.

• Solar Thermal Under floor heating
  

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• Solar Thermal Heating of domestic water
  

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• Solar Thermal Heating of the pool
  

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• Combination of the above
  

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We can provide you solutions for an integrated solar thermal system and we can advice you how you can minimize your energy costs by utilizing the sun as a source of renewable energy.