- Indoor air is typically 4-5x more polluted than outdoor air
- A typical duct system leaks 35% to the outdoors
- Homes produce more C02 emissions than autos and light trucks combined
- 25% reduction in U.S. home energy consumption = taking 1/2 of all passenger cars off the road
Solar Thermal
Solar hot-water systems provide free hot water that can be used for domestic water and for radiant heating of your home. Many people first think about Solar PV systems but don’t realize that a solar thermal system may provide a better return on investment. After the 30% federal tax credit, a typical solar thermal system costs $4,000-$10,000.
One advantage of installing solar thermal is that the dollar savings will increase over the years. Historically, residential gas rates have increased 6% per year and we expect this to increase to become even greater as the cost of gas climbs. Plus, unlike electricity, the price of gas is not regulated so huge gas price spikes are common. By investing in a solar thermal system you can freeze your gas costs and protect yourself from on-going utility rate hikes.
There are a few factors to consider when deciding of solar thermal is right for your home:
- Do you have a sunny place on your roof to put solar panels? Unlike Solar PV, the solar thermal collectors do not take up a lot of space so they can be located at the sunniest spot. Also, solar thermal still works well even on days when its not very sunny; the reason for this is that the temperature of the water coming from the utility is very cold and adding even lukewarm water from the solar thermal system brings up the temperature in the tank.
- Do you have space for a second, larger storage tank or do you plan to replace your current water heater? The solar thermal system requires some form of storage for the pre-heated water so this needs to be a consideration.
- How difficult will it be to run the plumbing from the solar thermal system to the water heater. The shorter and easier the run the less expensive the system.
