Let the sun cut your water-heating costs with a Solar Thermal System

Renewable energy and solar energy experts in Montana

Major savings on the roof. The collector for a solar hot water system can be mounted on just about any roof with good solar exposure.

Think about what happens when a car sits in the sun all day. The dashboard and seats can get too hot to touch, while the air inside the car becomes hotter than the air outside. It's a powerful display of the sun's radiant energy. A solar thermal system harnesses the sun's energy in a very similar way. An insulated, glass-faced solar collector is filled with black-painted tubing and interior surfaces that absorb solar heat and use it to heat water for washing and/or home heating.

Solar energy can be used in several ways

You may hear solar thermal systems referred to as "solar hot water systems." Both terms are accurate, and distinguish this type of system from a "solar photovoltaic" or "solar PV" system that converts sunlight into electricity. Other ways to use solar energy include direct solar gain through insulated windows —a very basic way to reduce winter heating costs, with a renewable energy source!

Is a solar PV or a solar thermal system right for your house? To find out, schedule a free solar energy evaluation with . Call or email today for a free solar system evaluation and estimate.

How it works: Closed-loop systems are the most common

In a closed-loop solar thermal system, an antifreeze solution circulates between the solar collector and a heat exchanger in the hot water tank. This approach allows the system to function year-round, with no danger of damage due to freezing weather.

When the antifreeze in the collector reaches a certain temperature, a control module activates a pump to move the hot fluid through the heat exchanger to heat the water in the tank. When solar heat is limited or unavailable, water in the tank can be heated by an electric heating element or a tankless water heater.

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