How Do Solar Hot Water Adelaide Systems Work?
The rising cost of non-renewable fossil fuels and electricity tariffs will make clean, highly abundant and renewable solar hot water Adelaide systems the standard in the coming decades. In fact, the Australian government has started phasing out electric hot water systems that are currently installed in almost half of all Australian households. The reason is quite clear: Almost a quarter of household energy consumption is spent alone on heating water. Environmentally, these electric water heaters produce three times as much greenhouse gases as the low-emission variety. That leaves a handful of other options, including gas and heat pumps, but the most efficient of them all is the solar hot water Adelaide system, even if it entails high upfront costs to build solar collectors and panels.
Solar Hot Water Adelaide Tips
Assuming you have already investigated you various options as to how you would power you hot water Adelaide system, and your area receives plenty of sunshine, the most viable option that will be both easy on the pocket and friendly on the environment is solar heaters. The energy source is free, so the only expenses will be the initial outlay and periodic maintenance. The science and technology behind solar hot water Adelaide systems are also relatively accessible, so maintaining one should not be a problem for a regular Australian household.
Solar hot water Adelaide systems involve the use of storage tanks and solar collectors. A solar collector can either be flat-plate, integral collector-storage or evacuated-tube. Discuss your options with a professional plumber from Adelaide Hot Water to determine what is best suited for your home. Either way, the devices are insulated and weatherproofed, although the integral collector-storage has extreme-weather limitations.
Solar hot water Adelaide systems can either be active or passive. The active type has either direct or indirect circulation systems. The passive type could either be an integral collector-storage or a thermosyphon variety. Passive solar hot water Adelaide systems are more affordable but generally regarded as less efficient. However, in terms of durability and reliability, passive systems outperform its active counterpart.
In the direct circulation variety, water is pumped through the collectors and into the taps. This solar hot water Adelaide system is ideal in places where sunlight is abundant and temperatures are mild. In places where temperatures are freezing, indirect circulation systems work best. Non-freezing, heat-transfer fluids are pumped through the collectors and heat exchanger. This will then heat the water that goes out into the taps.
In solar hot water Adelaide systems that use an integral collector-storage, cold water first goes through the solar collector which increases its temperature. The water then flows to a heated storage tank where hot water can be dispensed on demand. This set-up is ideal for mild climates because outdoor pipes can get frozen in falling temperatures.
On the other hand, the thermosyphon system depends on the dynamics of hot and cold water. For hot water to flow, the solar collector needs to be placed below the storage tank so that hot water will rise into the tank while the cooler water sinks and gets heated. This solar hot water Adelaide system is highly reliable if constructed to specifications. Contractors installing the storage tank and the collector should be especially careful in putting together all the parts, taking into account the roof design. Because of how it is set-up, the thermosyphon variety is typically more expensive than the integral collector-storage unit. Professional plumbers at Adelaide Hot Water will be able to guide you through your purchase process so you bring home only the most efficient hot water Adelaide materials for your solar-powered water heater.
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