Solar panels are an environmentally friendly way of providing hot water to your house. They are panels filled with water that are usually placed on the top of the roof. The sun then heats up the water inside the panel, thus providing hot water for the house. For an average household, solar panels are able to heat water for approximately 4 or 5 months of the year depending on sunshine levels. They are designed to absorb as much of the sun’s heat as possible and work in one of the following two ways:
‘Indirect system’: Once it has been heated up, the water in the panel travels to a coil in the hot water cylinder and from there, the heat is transferred to the water there.
‘Direct system’: In this system, the water, having been heated up already by the sun, travels directly into the water cylinder.
There are many benefits to having solar panels installed in your home, though it is worth considering the suitability of the position of your house. To benefit from solar power, ideally your house should face in a south easterly or south westerly direction. If your roof is often shaded by other buildings or tall trees you may not get enough heat on to the roof panels to heat the water sufficiently. If this is the case it is also possible to install solar panels at ground level. The same considerations need to be taken into account however.
Benefits of solar energy include:
- Solar power reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emissions released into the air, therefore protecting the environment.
- Solar panels are also cost-effective and can often end up generating enough heat over a lifetime to actually pay for themselves.
- They are not only effective but also reliable. Solar panels require very little if no maintenance meaning that they will not break down and require money to be fixed.
- By using the power of the sun to generate heat and hot water you will see a large reduction in the cost of your electricity bill.
How much does it cost to have solar panels installed?
The cost of having a solar panel fitted varies depending on what type you have.
There are two types available:
Flat plate: Can cost between £2000 and £4000 for the average house.
Evacuated tubes: Can cost between £3500 and £5500 for the average house.
(These prices also include installation.)
Although it may initially seem like an expensive option, it can work out to be cheaper in the long term. One of the best ways to work out its worth is to assess how much money you spend on hot water throughout the year and when you use it also. You then need to assess the amount of time it will take you to get this money back through using solar panels and see if the investment is worth it. The benefits to the environment are priceless though the benefits to your financial situation may not be so worthwhile. This might particularly be the case if you use gas as it tends to be cheaper than electricity anyway. For information on grants available to help you fund solar panel installation visit Solar Twin.
As with all companies though, prices will obviously differ and so if you are serious about installing solar panels it is worthwhile looking at what is on offer and comparing prices in order to find the best deal available.
What else can solar panels be used for?
Heating water for the house is not the only use of solar panels as they are able to serve other purposes. Heating up a swimming pool can use a lot of electricity and solar panels are able to fulfil the same requirements. The same goes for things like garden fountains that are able to gain their energy to run from solar panels. Batteries are also able to be charged with solar power as are some types of light.
More Resources:
The Energy Savings Trust
- Lots of advice and information on saving energy in your home
West Wales ECO Centre
- Read the fact sheets about alternative sources of energy.
The National Energy Foundation
- Advice on how to implement solar panels in you home.