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Solar Hot Water

Key Benefits

Reduce your hot water bill by up to 70%
Payback period typically 6-10 years, with future savings of £1000's every year thereafter
Protect against hikes in fuel prices, e.g. a £300 bill this year could become £600 in 5yrs and £1200 in 10yrs - with solar hot water, you could be saving this instead of paying it!
Most effective with both combi and traditional hot water heating systems
Life expectancy typically 20-40 years
Add £1000's in value and a unique selling point to your property

What is Solar Hot Water?

Solar hot water heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside your conventional water heater (e.g. boiler). Usually they are installed so as to become your primary source of heating hot water, thereby calling upon your normal method of heating solely as a supplement.

Naturally they are at their most powerful during the summer, often providing you with 90%-1000% of your hot water. However, a correctly designed system will give you at least 20%-30% during winter as well.

How does it work?

Currently there are two types of technology available; flat-plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors. Here is a summary of how they work:

Flat-plate – this is the more traditional of the two with the design often looking like a velux window, especially when integrated flush into the roof. The plate works by absorbing energy from the sun and transferring it into whatever solution (water or glycol) is passing through its “veins.” This solution is then fed into your hot water cylinder (either your existing one, or a new one) whereby it will heat your water. Some systems are direct, others are indirect.
Evacuated tube – this is an altogether different technology that uses an array of glass tubes connected together by a heat-transfer manifold at the top. With each tube being cylindrical by design, they are able to collect energy over a longer period of time throughout the day. This often means the “footprint” of an evacuated tube system is somewhat smaller than that of a flat-plate system. Inside each tube is a vacuum which transfers heat into a solution (once again, water or glycol) running through the manifold. In much the same way as a flat-plate system, the solution is then fed into your cylinder to heat the water.

The benefits

With a correctly designed solar hot water heating system providing you with an average saving of around 70% off your hot water bill, you can see the amount of money you can save.

Furthermore, your existing boiler will not have to work nearly so often or so hard, therefore your service intervals will be longer, as will the longevity of its life.

Another important point to beware of is that prices in gas, oil and LPG are on the rise (gas has risen by 91% since 2003!). Therefore a hot water heating bill of £400 this year could perceivably become double that in 5 years time, then double again in another 5 years. This is where the most dramatic savings are to be had …

Take a look at your fuel bill 5-10 years down the line and decide on whether or not you want to save on that kind of expense. If you do, then contact us now on 01737 233567 to discuss your requirement in detail and get an idea of that kind of savings you could be making.

With regards to the environment, some systems will reduce C0₂ by around 350 – 1000kg per year, depending on the fuel replaced.

Is it suitable for my home or business?

Solar hot water systems from Eco Energy UK are suitable for most homes and many businesses in the UK. With reference to domestic properties, ideally you will have at least 2-6sqm of roof space (preferably south-facing, or at least east/west), and room for a hot water cylinder (either an existing one or a replacement model). With reference to commercial properties, please call 01737 233567 to discuss in greater detail.

If you have a back-boiler or “combi” boiler then that’s fine too – we have systems for those too.

How much does a Solar Hot Water system cost, and how much will I save?

To give you an idea, a standard installation in a 3 x bedroom home would normally cost in the region of £3000-£5000. Larger homes with a higher demand for hot water, as well as those requiring more complex installations, e.g. scaffolding, “in-roof” integration, “combi” compliance, etc, are more likely to require a budget of £4500-£7000.

You can expect to save in the region of 60%-70% off your annual hot water bill. The important thing to note here is that whilst this may not seem like a lot of money right now, it certainly will be when you look at your fuel bill in 5-10 years time and realise all those thousands of pounds you saved by opting for a Solar Hot Water system from Eco Energy UK. In other words, you can expect to hit payback within this period, and then be forever in credit as you watch the price of gas, oil and LPG continue to reach record highs.

Did you know that gas has risen 91% since 2003? That’s a rise of over 20% each year … imagine the same price hike continuing into the future and you can see for yourself the kind of savings you’ll be making. At the end of the day, that means money in your pocket instead of in the utility company’s coffers.

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