Solar Water Heating Panels

Frequently Asked Questions about Solar Thermal Heating

Q. What is solar thermal?

A. Solar thermal literally means the heat from the sun. This energy can be used in several ways, however the most effective is to use the sun's energy to heat water for domestic use or central heating.

Q. Solar panels power my pocket calculator, is this the same principle?

A. No. Solar thermal is different to photo-voltaic (PV) which turns sunlight directly into electricity. Solar Thermal is a far more efficient use of the available energy.

Q. Will a solar thermal heating system really heat my whole house?

A. No. Probably not. These systems are not designed to do that. A solar thermal heating system is designed to supplement an existing or principle heat source. The main source of heat in your home with have to come from elsewhere, the solar thermal system merely reduces the demand on that principle source (usually a gas or oil fired boiler). This reduces your fuel bills, particularly in the summer where your need for hot water is less and the sun's energy is stronger.

Q. Does this mean I have to constantly adjust my thermostat and/or boiler depending on the weather?

A. No, we will install the system to be fully automatic, this means you will barely notice the existence of the system. Only when you get your next gas/oil bill will the system really get your attention.

Q. Is this going to require miles and miles of pipes across my roof?

A. No. We will install a system which is as inconspicuous as possible. A rack of tubes which absorb the sun's heat is all you need. Obviously the more tubes you have the more heat will be absorbed for you to use.

Q. Will it work when it is cloudy or cold?

A. Yes, a solar thermal system will work in almost all conditions. The only two times when a solar thermal heating system will not be supplying you with at least some heat is when the temperature outside is below -30°C or at night.

Q. So once it's there I am getting something for nothing?

A. Not quite. The system will need a pump to move the water around it, this pump will use electricity to run, but every central heating system uses a pump (usually inside the boiler) and as it is only moving and not heating the water it is far more efficient than other systems.

Q. I have a combi-boiler. I've been told I can't install a solar thermal heating system with my current central heating. What can I do?

A. So long as you have room for a storage tank then we can install a solar thermal heating system. The most common installation in these circumstances is to use the solar thermal system to preheat the water going into the boiler, reducing the amount of fuel needed to bring the water up to the desired temperature.

Q. I have heard horror stories of Solar Thermal systems catching fire during especially hot weather.

A. Our systems are totally safe and include integral components which prevent any disasters. By only using quality components we can be sure that the system will withstand even incredibly high temperatures. The addition of a fail-safe temperature controlled valve will ensure that the system will not get above 99°C.

For more information either contact us or click here for information on Apricus Solar Thermal Heating systems. As we are experts in getting the best from solar thermal systems, we can more often than not install a solar heating system even if you think your home isn't suitable.