How do Radiant Heating Systems Work?
There are several different ways that SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems can be used to provide home heating – offsetting the amount heating oil, propane, natural gas or wood that you use. These Include:
- In-Floor Radiant Heating – a series of PEX Tubing Loops are installed under your floorboards. As Hot Water passes through them, they transfer their heat up, through the floor, providing space heating
- Baseboard Radiator Heating - this type of heating uses baseboard radiators which transfer heat throughout the rooms where they are located. By running Solar Hot Water through these radiators you can significantly reduce the cost of heating
- Forced Hot Air Heating – this is one of the most popular forms of heating, and many homes today already have these systems in place. By linking your SunMaxx Solar Hot Water System to an air-over heat exchanger you can reduce the amount heating fuel used for heating your home, and therefore your annual heating bills
How Much Money Does the Average Household Spend on Hot Water?
This is a calculation that is made using the price of your heating fuel and how much hot water you use. You know better than anyone how much money you spend on water heating every month and year – just by looking at your hot water bill. Of course, most Americans find that just heating water accounts for nearly 20% or more of their annual energy bills. When you take Home Heating into account as well, overall heating at your home can cost 40% or more of your annual energy bills.
Will a SunMaxx Solar Hot Water System Work in the Northeast or Northwest?
Yes. For these climates, we recommend that customers use SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors. During a significant portion of the year in these locations, the sun is at low angles in the sky, the days are extremely short, and the temperatures are often freezing, or barely above. Because of their design, SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are particularly well suited for these conditions – their unique 360 degree collection area makes them very good at capturing sunlight at many angles, increasing the period of optimum absorption, and their incredible freeze protection, coupled with a closed-loop glycol system provide adequate freeze protection for all but the harshest temperatures.
Will a SunMaxx Solar Hot Water System Work on a Cloudy Day?
Yes, to an extent. SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems do not only work with direct sunlight, but also with Solar Radiation. Even on cloudy days, there is ample solar radiation, which allows SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors to provide significant performance, even in these conditions. However, the performance of the Solar Collector will be less than it is on a bright, sunny day.
How does Solar Hot Water Differ from PV or Solar Electricity?
PV, or Solar Electric, uses the energy trapped within sunlight to generate an electrical charge. This charge can then be stored and used to power any number of electronic and electric devices. Solar Hot Water, however, is also known as Solar Thermal, and used the tremendous energy trapped within sunlight to generate heat – this heat is then transferred by any number of mechanisms to water. We can use that water for nearly every hot water application – from domestic hot water use to radiant space heating to pool/spa heating. In, fact, Solar Thermal technology is much further advanced that PV technology today – a typical PV panel has an efficiency of 14 – 20% where a Solar Hot Water System has an efficiency of 80% or better – this makes Solar Hot Water Systems one of, if not, the most cost-effective and affordable uses of Solar Energy available today.
What can SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems be used for?
SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems are used across the United States and around the world for nearly every water heating application imaginable. Whether your application is residential, commercial, industrial, municipal or agricultural, SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors and Flat Plate Solar Collectors are perfect for the job. SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems shine in systems designed for Domestic Hot Water production, Radiant Floor and Space Heating, and Solar Pool and Spa/Hot Tub Heating.
What are Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors and How do They Work?
SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are built with series of clear glass, vacuum sealed tubes with a special selective coating that allows solar radiation to pass through from the outside and traps it inside. This 360 degree collector design is the key principle advantage of Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors – it allows for great absorption earlier and later in the day when the sun is at odd angles for most solar collectors – leading to increased overall system efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The solar radiation then heats the copper heat pipe within the Evacuated Tube, which transfers its heat upward where it is passed to the water moving through the manifold through the specially designed condenser.
One Year Later, New York Resident Realizes Solar Thermal System Payback
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New York resident, Peter N., installed a SunMaxx Solar Thermal Hot Water system in his home. One year later, he is truly seeing the payback in going solar. Peter cannot hold his excitement to himself. He tells us he has shared the amazing news with all his neighbors. He says, "the system provides over 90% of our hot water needs outside of the heating season. During the heating season, the system also supplements radiant heating." Not only that, this Middleport resident also qualified for New York's state and federal rebates. The system initially cost $7,635, and Peter claims the payback was worth it, "I received up to 70% Federal plus State Rebates for my system!" The system does supplement Peter's radiant heating, with the primary heat source being ground loop water to water heat pump. The top coil in the holding tank will be used for additional floor heat. The system included 60 SunMaxx Solar ThermoPower Evacuated Tubes, and two 105 gallon coil tanks feeding a 120 gallon domestic hot water tank. The system is also plumbed to allow future expansion. For more information, contact SunMaxx Solar's marketing department.