Solar Energy

You can use the energy from the sun to heat your home, thus solar energy. The amount of solar energy that is transmitted from the sun in the United States in just 20 minutes can supply our energy needs for an entire year. This energy is free. We just have to have a system in place to capture the energy. Solar heat works by absorbing the sun’s radiation and converting this to heat energy. Natural convection or air movement is an integral part of successful solar heating installations. This solar heat can then be used to heat your home whether a small area or the entire home. You can also use solar energy in your water plumbing system.

There are many benefits to using solar heat in your home, for example, it:
• is environmentally friendly
• does not pollute or produce greenhouse gases
• helps conserve the earth’s energy resources
• is the best choice for people with allergy problems and chemical sensitivities
• is stable in price. Although the solar energy is free, the system will have a one-time cost (equipment/installation), but then you don’t have to worry about future oil prices or inflation.

Passive Solar Heating
A passive solar heating design does not actually include any sort of mechanical heating device. Rather, passive solar heating functions by incorporating building features that absorb heat and then release it slowly to maintain the temperature within the home. These building features, often referred to as thermal mass, may include large windows, stone flooring, and brick walls.

For passive solar energy to be utilized effectively there must also be a means for the heated air to circulate throughout the home. The natural circulation of air is usually enough as long as doors are left open throughout the home, however, sometimes fans are also incorporated into the design to facilitate this.

While these may sound like relatively simple measures, passive solar heating features can reduce heating bills by almost 50 percent. And, in many cases, especially if you’re working with a builder who is familiar with the processes of passive solar heating, building a passive solar home may cost the same as building a conventional home.

Active Solar Heating
Active solar heating is similar to passive solar heating, but it is a much more involved process and generates much more heat than passive systems do. Active solar heating relies strongly on three components: a solar collector to absorb the solar energy, a solar storage system, and a heat transfer system to disperse the heat to the appropriate places in your home.

Active heating systems can be divided into two categories: air systems and liquid systems. The differences in the heating systems are in the way the solar energy accumulates in the solar collector. Liquid systems use a liquid to collect the energy in the solar collector; whereas air systems absorb the energy through the air.

Since solar collectors are normally installed on the roof of the building being heated, it is best to place the hot air outlet in the ceiling to shorten the duct run. A system installed in this manner mixes the air in a building like a ceiling fan in addition to supplying solar heat.

The downside of an active solar system is that the initial installation costs are much higher, since in most cases you will also need to install a traditional heating system for the times when the solar heating can’t work—many cloudy days in a row, for example. Active solar heating systems can be expected to supply between 40 and 80 percent of your home’s heating, depending on the size of the system you have installed as well as the climate where you live. However, in the long term you will reap the benefits (and break even) through significant savings on utility bills.

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions for 2009? Maybe you want to lose weight, eat healthier, get outside more, and spend more time with the family. Did you make any home improvement resolutions? Clean garage, paint bedroom, remodel kitchen, or install home theater. Did any of those resolutions include reducing your carbon footprint? Your what? Your carbon footprint is how you treat the earth around you.

Below are suggestions on how to care for our Earth.

1. Is your current furnace older than your college aged son? Time for a new one. Replace your inefficient heating system with a more modern energy efficient one. Look for a heater with the Energy Star label.

2. But your furnace is pretty new? Then it may just need some TLC and minor maintenance such as changing or cleaning the filters. You can also save the strain on your budget as well by closing the vents to rooms not in use. Reduce heat loss by 20%.

3. Does your garage feel like you stepped into the North Pole? Why not change out the garage door to a more insulated one since energy efficiency is not in the plans when the house was first built. Look for garage doors filled with polystyrene.

4. Does your skirt ever blow up when standing too close to your window? You can add weather stripping around the windows for one solution. A second easier solution is to hang up “blackout” curtains or if needed, and budget allows, replace windows with a double or triple pane window (depending on age of current windows). Curtains can reduce heat loss by 25%.

5. Do you have bats in attic? What about insulation? It may be time to add more insulation or check to see if any is there at all. You can insulate with spray foam or cellulose insulation. Check with the local expert for the best insulation that is needed in your area/home. This will save from undergoing a major renovation.

6. Do you have calluses on your fingers from constant button pushing on your thermostat? Why not get a programmable thermostat that you can pre-set for when you are home or away. You can set to your needs from morning wake up to bedtime tuck in. Save 15% on the heating bill.

7. Got Sun? You can if you convert your power source to solar. This conversion can be expensive, but if done one panel at a time, can be budgeted for and save money in the long run. Get Sun!

8. Cold water is great on a hot summer’s day, but not in the dead of winter when taking a shower. If your water heater is over 15 years old and your water does not seem to stay heated or runs out quick, it time to replace. Once the water heater is installed, wrap it with an insulated jacket to prevent heat loss. Look for an Energy Star model.