How To Heat Your House For Next To Nothing

Posted July 21st, 2008 by gordon

Don't let high oil prices this winter scare you! You can heat your house for next to nothing.

Most people know that expensive solar photovoltaic cells turn sunlight into electricity but the real secret is that you can use the sun to heat your home for next to nothing.

Residential Solar Thermal Heaters Are Affordable & Effective

A solar thermal heater is one of the most cost effective ways to heat your home with a payback period of months rather than years. You can even use a solar thermal heater in a gray climate like Washington State.

Here is a video showing a solar thermal install.

Two Ways To Mount It, Same Goal

Wall Mounted Solar Thermal Heaters

A wall mounted solar thermal heater is similar to a solar oven in that it uses the energy of the sun as heat. Wall mounted solar heaters are usually mounted on a south facing wall with an intake and an outtake connecting the device to the interior of the home. Interior air is circulated through the device during daylight hours to heat the home. A large wall mounted device may heat up to 1,000 square feet. Some heaters only require 15 minutes of sun time an hour to provide heat.

Window Mounted Thermal Device

A window mounted device works in the same way as a wall mounted solar thermal heater but doesn't require you to cut holes in an exterior wall. Instead the solar heater is mounted in a window and does not require holes to made in exterior walls. Window mounted devices are less expensive to install but produce less heat.

Commercial Examples & Videos

Here are some commercially available solar air heaters.

The Cansolair Solar Heater

The cansolair solar thermal heater is probably one of the most famous examples of a solar thermal device. It is made in Newfoundland out of recycled cans.