Is it really possible to use the sun to provide the home with all the hot water needed for an average family? Short answer is yes. It has been done and is currently being done in many parts of America. It is a deceivingly simple concept. Place solar conductors on the roof of the structure, have a circulating system to move the heated fluid between the conductors and a stoage tank, have a backup heating system, and controls to regulate the whole system. That's not a too space age or esoteric concept.

Before searching the yellow pages to look up equipment suppliers, there are a few things to consider. First, does the geographic area where the system will be installed have direct sunlight from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day of the year? Or at least nearly each day of the year? This will be the amount of solar energy needed to provide adequate hot water, or home heating for that matter, for a typical family. Another connsideration is where the structure is located, such as within a homeowners association community. If so, does the association have any rules concerning solar conductors on the roof? It is best to know these things before purchasing equipment.

After checking out these items, the next thing to do is look at the structure. How large is the roof where the conductors will be placed? Can it accommodate the panels that will be required to do the job? Then how far is it from the roof to the storage tank, in feet. This, of course, assumes the location of the storage tank has already been selected. Remember, there will be pipes going from the solar conductors on the roof to the tank and back again to the roof.

In most solar hot water systems, the water that is going through the solar conductors is potable and is the same water that will go into the house system directly. Generally, the storage tank is connected to a water heater, for backup purposes, and from the water heater through the house. In this system, the solar panels are made of glass. If the temperature in the area where the system is going to be used can drop to below 38 degrees farenheit, then a "draindown" system should be used that drains the water out of the conductors into the storage tank to prevent the glass panels from freezing and breaking. This is a critical part of the whole system, so don't skimp here, get a good one. This part of the solar hot water system will not have to do anything for months on end, but when the temperature demands it come on, it has to work the first time.

Another recommendation is to insulate the hot water pipes in the house to preserve the heat in the water and save energy. Depending on water usage, and the cost of electricity or gas, an average savings of about $30 a month is possible.

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