1) Is Solar Water Heater a good investment for me ?

The potential savings on water heating bills are affected the most by the type of fuel you are using to heat that water and the number of people in the home. If you are heating water for two or more people and you heat water with electricity or with bottled or natural gas, then you owe it to yourself ,but look at solar water heater, it could be a great investment for you.

2) What is the "payback" on a solar water heater system?

The term "payback" is a misconception that shows a false value towards an income generating device. Electric and gas water heaters do not have a payback! When you purchase a more efficient refrigerator, the decision to buy comes not from how long the savings generated will pay you back for your initial investment, but it comes from getting better service for a lower operating cost with a better rate of return. Solar water heating systems do just that. They provide quality hot water at a lower cost than heating with electricity or LP gas with more equity value in your home.

Solar collectors are typically designed to last as long as your home with little or no maintenance. These systems often save a 14% to 20% money, even for a two person household. It is important to remember that hot water is a constant daily expense; other large household appliances, like air conditioners and heaters, are seasonal expenses.

3) What about this investment in a solar water heating system?

It is ironic that you, if you are an individual using LP gas or electricity to heat water, will pay for a solar water system over the next 4 to 8 years whether you get one or not!! You can invest today in a solar water heating system and have monthly savings and increased equity value in your home. Your solar system savings will offset your payments, so you will actually own your solar water heating system at the end of five years.

 4) Will the solar collector be a fire hazard during hot, dry weather?
No. The solar collector's components are all high temperature rated and non-flammable so even during strong sunlight with the circulation pump turned off (stagnation), the system will not catch alight or give off any sparks. The majority of the solar collector's components are stainless steel or aluminium and glass. The manifold outlet should be fitted with a temperature safety valve, which will prevent the manifold temperature from exceeding 99℃ / 212℉.

5) What about freezes and cloudy weather?

Both active and passive solar water heating systems come with a 100% lifetime guarantee against freeze damage. The active and the passive solar water heating systems are both approved by the Moody International Certification Ltd. Active solar systems have a conventional electric heater to heat water on the few days that it might be needed. Passive solar systems act as a pre-heater to heat water before it is drawn into the cold inlet of the standard gas or electric water heater. All solar water heating systems deliver both higher temperature water and more water volume than conventional water heaters. Typically 40 to 80 gallons more hot water than conventional water heaters.

6) What maintenance of the solar collector is required?
Under normal circumstances no maintenance of the system is required. Due to the shape of the tubes regular rainfall and wind should keep the tubes clean. Should a tube even be broken it should be replaced. This, however, is an inexpensive and easy job. Any "handy" person can install a new tube (while adhering to local health and safety regulations). The
solar collectors can operate with several broken tubes, however the efficiency will be reduced slightly.

7)  What about the appearance of a Solar Collector on our roof?

Today solar collectors are typically integrated into the slope of the roof. This method of installation gives the solar collector the appearance of a quality, opaque, glass skylight. In most cases, since the piping is not seen, it actually improves the appearance of the home because it looks like an elegant, expensive skylight.  You typically need only about 4 hours of direct sun (between 9am to 4pm) per day.

8) What about the environmental benefits of going solar?

Any time you use solar energy to offset the amount of fossil fuels that are burned, you contribute to everyone's health and welfare. Operating one solar water heater instead of an electric water heater saves the equivalent of nine barrels of oil every year and reduces carbon dioxide emissions (a greenhouse gas) by 1600 pounds and sulfur dioxide (contributes to acid rain) emissions by 12 pounds. Multiply those emissions per household by all the homes in your neighborhood, town, county, or state, and the benefits -- and the air and water -- become even more clear. Environmental Consciousness is a state that induces action through your belief in leaving a better world for yourself and future generations. We are all free to believe what we choose and what we each do, attests to what we believe.

9.)  Let the Sun make your monthly payments!!

All banks and lending institutions will loan you money to put in a solar system. The good news is that even for two people the equity value and savings will result in a net positive income for the length of the loan and that equity value has been proven to last over 30 to 40 years. Solar hot water systems usually cost $135to $1351 depending on the size and type of system you install. Sunlight has a payment plan called "Let the sun make the payments," where we finance 1/2 the total cost of the system over 3 to 5 years at 6% interest. The money you save on your monthly utilities is actually being used to purchase your own water heating system.

Solar Energy...the Choice is Yours!

The only choice is what you are going to be getting for your money - you will be incurring a monthly debt with no equity and higher payments with no savings or return, if you do not go solar.

The choice is not about spending money. The choice is only about what you actually "get" in return for a continuing monthly debt. You are spending money anyway - either you invest it for more home equity and savings, or you give it away for a service provided by your local utility.

For example, if you could either lease or buy a car, making equal payments for five years, which would you do? Pay to lease or pay to own!? Then you can start keeping utility profits for your own nest egg.

EVERY DAY THE SUN RISES. . . and every day you could be saving money and enjoying the revitalizing power of sun heated water...