Solar Hot Water Systems & Solar Power For Your Home
Can Solar Hot Water Systems Replace Boilers?
Most modern homes will feature a boiler, and it’s these resources that are responsible for providing heated water. Not only do boilers require a lot of electricity and gas to run efficiently; it’s not uncommon for them to suffer with breakdowns from time to time. Over the past decade, more and more home owners have been turning to the potential of solar hot water systems – not just for their lower energy consumption, but as they also take less of a toll on the environment.
Fossils fuels have been put to use for decades now, with gas being the most commonly used to heat water via boilers. Although harmless on a minimal scale, the fact is that higher levels of gas emitted from consistent use (or when combined with the millions of boilers used nationally), can take a huge toll on the atmosphere. This is a main reason why solar panels have become such a useful resource, as they harvest the sun’s rays in order to function, as opposed to relying on the earth’s natural resources.
Can These Panels Replace Boilers?
Leading experts around the world accept that panels are a viable replacement for other systems that provide hot water; namely boilers and gas heaters. Where the latter two rely on natural resources, the former is able to convert the energy from the sun’s rays – and it’s this energy that can be used to heat water via coil systems and piping.
Every panel will be connected to the same facilities that feature within boiler installations, and once the sun’s energy is converted, these facilities can be heated to provide hot water. This means warm water for the washing up, for showers and even for central heating systems like radiators. The only thing that has changed is the need for gas – the common resource demanded by boilers in order to operate. It is gas pressure that provides the heating potential, and it’s this activity that poses a risk to the environment; not to mention being quite expensive for home owners.
How Reliable are Panels for Hot Water Systems?
There’s only one catch relating to solar panel usage – and that’s that they will require some form of exposure to the sun’s rays in order to function. Sunny days provide the best results, although cloudy days will still offer a small amount of warm water, thanks to the sheer power of the rays from the sun. There are instances where the panels may struggle to convert energy however; typically during the rain, or when severe cloud coverage is present.
As most parts of Australia are exposed to over 200 days of sunshine on average each year, this leaves a small amount of time where panels may struggle to function efficiently. What this means is that for over two thirds of the year on average, panels are a viable option and can help to reduce energy bills and environmental damage. For the remainder of the year there will still be times where they can be used too – making them an excellent replacement, or at the very least a great back up resource as far as hot water goes.