| Solar water heaters are a relatively cheap and | | | | at around several thousand dollars, but with the raising |
| environmentally friendly way to supply households with | | | | energy prices their initial costs will be paid back in only |
| hot water. Although the initial cost of buying such a | | | | a few years. |
| device may be a little more than buying a conventional | | | | One can choose to ignore all the pumps, sensors and |
| furnace, the fuel they use - the sunshine - is free and | | | | control switches of a commercially available heater, |
| widely available for almost anybody. | | | | and build a much simpler device. There are a lot of |
| According to some calculations, a solar heating system | | | | DIY-designs freely available on the Internet, and with a |
| can provide as much as 85% of domestic hot water | | | | little luck you can have your own for about $5. You will |
| energy in many climates. Solar water heater systems | | | | only need such common and widely available parts |
| can be used for heating homes or offices, and it may | | | | and materials as buckets, scissors, some wood, a |
| be used even for industrial purposes. It is very good at | | | | pane of glass, the back of a small refrigerator and |
| heating swimming pools, or it can be used for under | | | | aluminum foil. |
| floor heating. There are models available with | | | | The essential parts of a solar water heater are: a |
| evacuated tubes which allow the heater to function | | | | glass-covered "hot box" that catches the sun's heat, |
| under cloudy skies. This kind of solar water heater will | | | | some copper pipes that circulate the water in this box, |
| give hot water even at temperatures well below | | | | and a storage tank that has to be set above the heat |
| freezing. | | | | collector. Because hot water tends to rise while cold |
| Buying a solar water heater is worth considering | | | | water sinks, the water heated in the "hot box" will |
| especially for those who already have a house or plan | | | | move up to the storage tank, while cold water will sink |
| to build one in the future. The reason for this is the fact | | | | to the heat collector. |
| that you can't install anywhere a solar water heater. | | | | This type of device, however, may be used only for |
| To the efficient function of a solar water heater, some | | | | camping, or as a science experiment. If you are |
| calculations are needed. | | | | considering making a more reliable and effective solar |
| Some of the solar water heaters tend to be rather | | | | water heater for your home, you will have to search |
| complex, and their price tends to be quite expensive, | | | | for a more complex design. |