The New Solar Heating Systems Are Efficient and Stylish

The new innovations in solar energy harnessing technology make it possible to efficiently heat your home with or without the use of solar panels.

The rise in the price of fossil fuels and an increased awareness of the damage done to the environment by their use has led many people to look into the viability of alternative sources of energy. Perhaps the best known and widely used of these is solar energy. The term solar energy refers to the collection of the sun's power and and turning it into a form of energy that can be used by the consumer.

Most people are aware that the sun's power can be converted into electricity. Fewer seem to realize that a home can be efficiently heated with solar power. There are two main ways to accomplish this, solar panels and glazing of the home's windows in a process known as gain.

Solar panels were the original way that the sun's power was harnessed to heat homes. This method consists of water filled panels, usually installed on the roof of a home. The water that runs through them is heated by the sun and then runs through the home's heating system, heating the house. It used to be that the transfer of the warmed water from the panels and the cooler water from inside the house was done very inefficiently. Now, thanks to an innovative new system of valves and thermostats this process has been much improved. There is a sensor on the valve that allows the water to leave the panels. When the water in the panels reaches a predetermined temperature a pump is turned on, the valve opens, and the warmed water leaves the panels. Another sensor in the valve placed where the water enters the panels is set to shut off the pump when the water entering the panels reaches a set temperature. This system ensures the energy is only being used to move the water when necessary and that warm water does not continue to enter the heating system after t he desired temperature has been reached.

The idea of having solar panels installed on their roofs was enough to keep some people from using solar energy to heat their homes. Luckily for them there is a new way. In a process known as gain, the windows of the home are treated with a special glaze that maximizes the amount of heat that enters the home through the windows while minimizing the loss of heat. Think of a car parked in the sun in the summer time and you will realize how effective this manner of heating can be. Although not as efficient as heating through solar panels this method does allow the home to maintain its original appearance.

Solar heating through either method is one of the most cost effective ways to heat your home. In addition, every home that is powered by the sun reduces the use of fossil fuels which is a benefit to our environment which has already been greatly damaged by excessive fossil fuel use.