Some Basic Things About Active Solar HeatingSolar technology means acquiring energy from sun. Now this solar technology can be acquired through both active and passive means. Active solar heating technology is the one that converts solar energy to usable heat and also stores heat for the future use. While passive solar heating technology does not use any external energy. Active Solar heating Systems can further be divided into two types based on the type of fluid- air or liquid. The difference between the two systems is that the air based system heats the air in an air collector whereas the liquid based system heats water in a hydronic collector. The working mechanisms of both these systems are very alike. Both of them absorb and collect solar radiation in the same way and then transfer that solar energy to their respective storage system. From the storage system the heat is further distributed. There are numerous long term effects or consequences for active solar heating. Active solar water heating systems are very economical and as such very useful in places which remain cold for most time of the year. This technology is the best alternative for the more costly heating fuels like propane, oil heat, electricity, fuel and propane. In fact many states offer exemption of sales tax, income tax and property tax on solar energy systems. Another benefit of using an active solar water heating system in your home is in reducing your electricity bills during the winter season. Using fossil fuels such as propane, oil and natural gases create a lot of air pollution and greenhouse emissions. But by using active solar water heating system you can drastically reduce the amount of greenhouse emission and air pollution. The cost of having an active heating system can vary according to the size. The larger the system the lesser it will cost per unit of collector area. Commercial systems can range from a mere $30 to $90 per square foot of collector area. Most of the commercial systems come with a warranty of 10 years. In the costly ones you get even more warranty period than 10 years. While you venture out to buy an active heating system you must keep care of certain aspects. Selection of a solar energy system depends a lot on the design, site and heating needs of your house. The climate of your area, the collector you are using and the area of the collectors are some factors that determine the efficiency of the solar heating system. Finally the efficiency and durability of your Active Solar Heating System depends a lot on how you maintain it. Although different systems have different maintenance requirements, ideally after 8-16 hours you should maintain the heating system. |