Solar Water Heating

Solar water heating panels work by utilising the ‘greenhouse effect’ – directing light onto either a flat panel or tubes residing in a vacuum. A vacuum is an excellent insulator as you’ll recognise from use of vacuum flasks.

This helps to keep heat loss to a minimum. What counts is the amount of light falling onto them, rather than ambient temperature. In fact, solar panels have been successfully used in the Antarctic for some time now. Care must of course be taken to ensure they are not shaded and work best when facing south, though any roof facing within 90°s of south will be suitable.

The UK receives plenty of light throughout the year, enough that a panel area of 1m² is generally sufficient to provide hot water for each adult in the property. The minimum panel area would normally be in the region of 2.5m².

One of the most common configurations is to have 2 coils in the hot water tank, one for the solar heating, one for a conventional back up such as gas or electricity. This is both more convenient and efficient.

Not everybody qualifies for a Government Grant to assist with the cost of installing solar water heating. To find out if you do please complete our enquiry form below. If you are not eligible for assistance it is still worth enquiring about solar energy, the money you invest in solar energy will reduce your energy bills substantially.