Ever wondered how solar water systems work? Why they are designed and installed in certain ways? Want to know the difference between passive and active systems and what they actually look like when installed?
Then join me at Solar Hot Water Design & Installation, a course I will be teaching at Palo Alto College as part of its Green Initiatives Education. The course runs for 8 weeks, every Monday and Wednesday, from Oct. 3 through Nov. 7, from 6-9 p.m.
We will combine classroom learning and hands-on laboratory exercises to explore how the different parts of systems work together. If you’re a plumber, home builder, architect or engineer, you might really enjoy this course.
This year’s Greater San Antonio Builders Association (GSABA) Parade of Homes tour is on! This event is great for seeing design and building trends as well as new appliances and equipment as they come onto the market.
This year, Solar Texas and Velux Sun Tunnels are featured in the Sitterle Homes show home. Seven Velux Sun Tunnels are on display, some of the 10” models, others are the 14” style. The 10” Sun Tunnel will light an area of up to 200 square feet; the 14” Sun Tunnel throws natural light into a 300 square foot space.
All without adding to your electric bill.
While the Parade of Homes is meant to show the biggest, the best and certainly, the most luxurious, we like to dwell on the point that you can change the look of a room for under $1000 with a Velux Sun Tunnel. It’s the fastest and most effective way to add a punch to your kitchen or bath.
So check out the show this weekend. Information on hours and directions are here: Parade of Homes 2011.
Rooms filled with natural light and fresh air are more beautiful, spacious and uplifting to our spirits.
“With added natural light and ventilation from skylights, homeowners have attractive and effective tools to balance the light and improve ventilation in their homes,” says Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America.
Patrick offers tips on the product categories available, how to choose the right product, installation information and tips on energy efficiency.
Product Selection
• Skylights are used for overhead, out-of-reach applications or with in-reach applications where egress is not required. Available models include electric or manual venting, fixed with or without ventilation flap, and fixed for replacing faded plastic bubbles with clear, energy-efficient glass. There are also models specially designed to meet code for safe use in hurricane-prone areas as well as models with electrochromic glass that can be lightened or darkened by remote control and that don’t restrict the view to the sky.
• Roof windows are for in-reach applications offering egress as in finished attics.
• VELUX SUN TUNNEL™ skylights are useful when a view to the outside is not needed as with closets, laundry rooms, pantries, hallways and second baths.
How to Choose
• A complete selection of models, styles and sizes of the categories described are available. Just consider your ceiling style and roof pitch and whether your home is constructed with trusses or rafters.
Accessories
• A complete selection is available to control the light including translucent or light block shades, Venetian blinds and exterior heat block awnings. Accessories, as well as electric skylights, can be operated by remote control.
Glazing
• Energy-efficient tempered safety glass resists condensation, protects against fading and won’t discolor, leak, or allow drafts. Models with electrochromic glass that darkens by remote control to reduce light and solar gain without restricting the view to the sky are also available.
Installation
• Certified, local independent installers may be located by contacting your local Home Builders Association or through the product manufacturer.
Energy Efficiency
• Save money on utility bills by selecting quality products meeting Energy Star® approval guidelines and rated by the National Fenestration Rating Council.
Solar Texas is a 5 Star Skylight Specialist and can assist you with your next VELUX quote.
For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit www.energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit www.nfrc.org or www.efficientwindows.org.
Velux America is one of my favorite suppliers. They have just added a new tool which helps homeowners calculate the cost savings from Solar Water Heaters. It’s simple and it’s free.
Last week, the first Velux solar water heater was installed in San Antonio by Solar Texas and Will’s Plumbing. Velux has been manufacturing solar water heaters for around 20 years, but have only recently introduced the product to the USA market. Targetting residential and small commercial markets, Velux has a unique system which builds on its outstanding leadership in the world skylight market.
Here’s what is different about the system:
The flat plate collector looks like a skylight and can be assimilated with Velux skylights with little noticeable difference. On an asphalt shingle or tile roof, the collector is mounted into the roof.
All the plumbing and temperature sensor wires are located beneath the collector in the attic. There is no way for squirrels or raccoons on the roof to damage insulation or wire connections.
Brilliant aesthetics. If a Homeowners Association (HOA) allows skylights, it is difficult for them to argue against the Velux solar water heater.
When it comes time to re-roof, the roofing material is simply replaced around the collectors. Roofers do not need to lift the collectors off the roof and do not need to get the assistance of a solar professional.
The Velux solar water heater is a pressurized glycol system. The collector is one of the most efficient flat plate collectors on the market and qualifies for a substantial rebate from CPS Energy. Using pre-insulated, flexible stainless steel piping between the storage tank, pump and collectors, installation is very fast; usually less than a day, and suffers less impact from rising copper prices and is less exposed to time-consuming copper pipe soldering associated with other types of solar water heaters.
First Velux Solar Water Heater in San Antonio
Velux solar water heaters are available with 60, 80 and 120 Gallon storage tanks. With other manufacturers, electric backup is often the only form of backup offered for periods of high demand or during times of cloudy weather. Velux offers storage tanks with electric, natural gas or propane backup so homeowners have more than one backup choice.
You’ve heard it all year long….go green! What does it mean for today’s homeowner? How do you separate out the dazzle from the duds? With dozens of products and services making promises about delivering savings, how do you make informed choices? Finesilver Ranch homeowner and energy expert Tony Stephenson will share his experience and knowledge in this one hour discussion to assist you in answering your questions about energy efficiency for your Finesilver Ranch home.
Join your neighbors on Monday, Sept. 8, 7:00 p.m. at the FSR Clubhouse. No RSVP necessary.
The Stephenson home will be featured in this year’s Solar Tour. It uses three solar applications. The first, a Solahart water heater, is mounted on our roof and is the main source of water heating. We save up to 400 kilowatt hours each month on heating water since its installation. A Solar Dynamics attic fan, also roof-mounted, removes hot air from our attic during the day, reducing the attic temperature so that it is nearly equivalent to the outside air temperature. Although we haven’t been able to strictly measure the savings from this piece of equipment, we do observe that the second floor air conditioner is not working as often or as hard to cool our second floor. Our third application is a Velux Solatube skylight in our master closet. This adds light to a dark space without adding energy to our bill. One of our first investments when we moved to San Antonio, was the purchase of a rotary clothesline. We dry our clothes the old-fashioned way! 8-9 months of the year, we use the clothesline instead of our electric dryer for an average of 7 loads per week. We estimate this reduces our electric bill by $XX each month.
Are you overloaded with information about what’s green and what’s not? Most homeowners want to save energy but don’t know where to start. I get lots of phone calls from people with questions about types of equipment, costs to install, what will work best for their household, so I wanted to help the conversation along with information about saving energy, equipment purchase questions and what’s next for solar energy. Plus there are rebates and refunds and tax incentives, all changing so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up.
So I’m going to try and keep up for you. My name is Tony Stephenson and I am the owner of Solar Texas. I started this business 5 years ago when I wanted to purchase a solar water heater for my own house and could not find a local dealer. It’s a product I was familiar with from my years growing up in country towns in Australia and thought it was perfect for the San Antonio climate. Turns out I was right and my initial purchase has turned into a business offering a variety of solar products. In this blog, I’ll occasionally talk about the products, but you can find that on all the other pages of this site.
So welcome to my “energy hub” and I hope you will stop by often and ask a question or two.
To reduce energy use around the Texas home, here are seven simple suggestions:
Improve shade. The home heats rapidly under the Texas sun. Shade trees reduce the heat buildup in the home. Shading the external air conditioning components is also recommended.
Improve the energy retention envelope around the home through better door seals, windows (double pane, etc.), insulating behind the outlets on external walls
Change luminescent light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) Don’t know the difference? Read about it here.
Consider an outdoor clothesline to take advantage of the sun and reserve the electric or gas clothes dryer for rainy days.
Look at practices that prevent or delay heat buildup in the roof and attic. These include improved insulation, good quality solar attic ventilation fans and energy efficient roofing materials. This has the effect of reducing the load inside the home and on the air conditioner.
Turn off non-essential items. If lights aren’t being used, turn them off. Many electrical appliances use a trickle of power even when they are switched off. Consider using power strips so that power to unnecessary devices can be turned off and back on with a single switch.
Are you trying to reduce your energy footprint? The path to energy efficiency, like a company’s quest for quality, is continuous. Many people looking for energy efficiency want to take an immediate big bite out of their energy bill. This is not necessarily the best approach. For some, it works well, but for most, it represents a huge investment. There is no need to sell your house and start over. Generally, it works out to be far less expensive to implement energy saving practices to an existing house, rather than buy a new one – especially in this economy. Take a little time to learn about what’s out there. Start with small changes and progress to bigger products as you see your energy need declining, and as you replace aging equipment in your home.
There are two ways to reducing reliance on traditional energy sources for the average homeowner. You can reduce energy use and you can replace traditionally fueled energy sources. A good point to remember is that it costs less to save energy than it costs to buy energy. Look to reduce energy use first and replace energy second. Save a kilowatt hour (kWh) before you have to buy a kWh. A good, balanced strategy is to use both methods with the emphasis on reducing energy at first, with the emphasis shifting to replacing energy as time goes on.
One modification I recommend is adding a solar water heater. Disclaimer: I sell and service several brands of solar water heaters. Without any other modifications to the home, replacing an electric water heater or an older gas water heater with a solar water heater can reap significant savings from the first day of use. Although a considerable upfront investment, solar water heaters are one of the most effective measures Texas homeowners can do to reduce energy costs. A good solar water heater will last significantly longer than traditional electric or gas water heater with minimal maintenance.
What things are you trying to reduce your family’s energy use?
We will be part of the fun at this year’s Solar Fest 2010, sponsored by Solar San Antonio. Join us on May 1, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. We will be part of the exhibitors’ area. Check out the new technologies, learn about how you can get started with solar in your own home, and enjoy fun for the family. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 1 at San Antonio’s Maverick Park.
Solar Texas is proud to be a member of Solar San Antonio.
Modern homes have become more expansive over recent generations of homeowners. Single story homes in particular, have expanded outwards resulting in larger dark areas in the center of the home. Even in the middle of the day, some homeowners have to turn on electric lighting to augment the limited light coming through windows. For many, natural light is so much more appealing if it can be achieved.
Velux manufactures a wide variety of skylights and Sun Tunnels to offer a range of solutions. Potential customers are often a little confused by the number of options they are presented with when choosing a method of bringing natural light into a dark room. What works best for a given situation?
Velux Sun Tunnels are an economical choice for dark spaces. Rigid Sun Tunnels (TMR/TGR/TSR models) are preferred to flexible tunnel systems (TMF/TGF models) for most installations. The rigid tunnel is better at reflecting light and can be used to a recommended maximum tunnel length of 20ft. The flexible tunnel is mostly for situations where the rigid tunnel won’t fit or for very short runs. Installations in San Antonio and surrounding areas seem to average about 8 to 9 ft of tunnel length.
The 10 inch Sun Tunnel brings natural light to an area of about 200 sq. ft. The 14 inch Sun Tunnel lights an area up to roughly 390 sq. ft. in area. This means one 10 inch Sun Tunnel is ideal for lighting:
small bathrooms
small entry foyers
mud rooms or
closets.
A 14 inch Sun Tunnel is ideal for:
walk-in closets
laundry rooms
larger bathrooms
office spaces and
game room.
Several Sun Tunnels are perfect for hallways, kitchens and dining areas.
Installation generally takes a few hours, depending upon the length and complexity of the tunnel. Costs range from a little over $400 for a 10 inch Sun Tunnel to a little over $500 for a 14 inch Sun Tunnel with 4 ft of tunnel and roughly $25-30/ft of tunnel in excess of 4 ft. And the nice part! Velux Sun Tunnels qualify for the federal government’s 30% tax credit
Next week: How to Choose the Right Skylight for the Job—Part Two: Skylights
Sun Tunnels are a great economic choice for bringing natural light into a room, but they’re not appropriate in all rooms for all people. Velux provides the ultimate in natural light control with its skylight and roof window range paired with a wide variety of shades and blinds. When the home or business owner wants that “WOW” factor, nothing beats the jaw-dropping architectural impact and mood-enhancing flexibility of Velux skylights. Velux skylights add natural light and make the room appear more three dimensional. Manual and powered shades and blinds add another level of control. More information can be found on the Velux site.
Velux skylights are made to fit almost any application: from the smallest bathroom to multiple “Combi” units on large commercial structures. They’re made narrow enough to fit between rafters and wide enough to span multiple rafters. The FCM model in many cases, can be retrofitted to the base of existing domed acrylic skylight installations, thereby substituting the longer lasting glass and associated energy efficiencies for the less efficient and shorter lasting acrylic skylights.
Velux skylights can be fitted to almost any roof. Skylights can be fixed, opened manually with a rod from the inside, or electrically operated by remote control. The electric opening skylights have rain sensors. Even if the homeowner has gone to the store and forgotten about the open skylight, a drop of rain on the rain sensor will automatically trigger the skylight to close. Blinds and shades can also be operated with the same remote control.
Velux also manufactures solar blinds. The operating unit is run by a battery pack recharged from a small solar photovoltaic panel positioned on the top of the unit. Mains electrical power is not required. These units are commonly fitted to fixed skylights.
In choosing a skylight or multiple skylights, measure the surface area of the room to be lit. Multiply the room’s surface area by between 5% and 10% for the amount of skylight area needed. Choose 5% if the room is already moderately well lit by windows. Choose 10% for dark rooms. Measure the distance between rafters and choose the appropriately sized skylight configuration from the wide selection at Velux. Or contact Solar Texas and our Velux –certified professionals will visit with you and discuss the wide range of choices and styles available.
Just about every home in Texas has some type of attic ventilation. The reason for attic venting is easy to understand. The sun beats down upon the roof and heats the air in the attic. Methods have changed over the years, but the International Residential Code and most roofing manufacturers recommend balanced venting of 1 sq.ft of venting for every 300 sq.ft of attic space. The venting can be divided evenly with 0.5 sq.ft of intake venting to 0.5 sq.ft of exhaust venting. Most modern roof venting in the San Antonio area appears to be a combination of ridge venting to exhaust warm air, and soffit venting, which is venting under the eaves, to draw in the outside air. Both are needed. If one port is expelling air, there needs to be another port that allows air in. Ideally, the port expelling air is positioned high on the roof and the port allowing air in is positioned low on the roof and the eaves are usually the lowest point. Other types of venting common to San Antonio include gable vents, roof louvers and wind turbines.
The idea behind passive attic venting is that as air in the attic warms, it is forced upward by cooler air entering from below and exits near the top of the roof. Convection currents are formed. In a perfect world, a light breeze of about 5 mph blowing across the ridge vents with cool air from the shaded side of the home entering the soffit vents will keep the attic at the optimum temperature. However, we don’t live in a perfect world. Typically what happens is that the sun beats down upon the roof. Air in the attic heats and expands everywhere. It expands out both the roof vents and the soffit vents. It transfers heat through the insulation into the ceiling of the home and then into the air in the home. Air conditioning ductwork is often located in the attic, putting additional workload on the air conditioner to cool the air in the ducts. Everything in the attic is heated, including anything that is stored up there. What most Texas homeowners need is an efficient way to cool the attic. That’s where attic ventilation systems come in.
Earlier this week, we talked about why attics are so hot. Today, we’ll focus on how we cool our attics.
One solution to cooling down hot attics was popular in the 1980s. Wind turbines. The problem with wind turbines in San Antonio and surrounding regions is that they are designed to extract about 850 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air in a 15 mph breeze. Any less or more and they lose efficiency very quickly. A typical San Antonio afternoon has little or no wind and the wind turbines are moving from the expansion of air within the attic. These homes may as well cut a hole in the roof for all the good a wind turbine is doing.
Solar attic ventilation is active attic ventilation. It turns on when the sun comes up and it turns off when the sun goes down. The ideal size is a fan that draws between 1150 and 1560cfm. Any less and the sun can heat the air in the attic faster than the attic fan can remove it. Once the air in the attic starts heating above the outside air temperature, it is very difficult to remove. Not only does the fan have to stop the additional heat buildup, it also has to remove the excess heat that has already been established. A good solar attic fan won’t let the heat buildup to begin with. A minimum of 1150 cfm is needed for this. On the other hand anymore than 1560 cfm and the soffit intake vents can’t allow enough airflow into the attic and conditioned air from inside the home can be drawn into the attic through light fittings and attic access points. The only solar attic fans that have airflow that falls within this range have a minimum 20 Watt panel.
A good solar attic ventilation fan or combination of fans will keep an attic either at or very close to ambient temperatures all day long. Another huge benefit is that they almost eliminate moisture and mold from the attic.
During the day, the attic heats to temperatures higher than ambient. This in turn warms the ceiling insulation. After the sun goes down, the attic remains hot for some time until the insulation finally cools. This process promotes cool, moist night time air into the attic where the moisture can settle into the insulation. The following day sees this entire process occur again. It’s not much moisture, but this process occurs almost every day of the home’s life. By keeping the attic close to ambient temperature, the solar attic fan doesn’t allow the night time intake of air to anywhere near the same degree and the following day, the attic is well ventilated. Moisture doesn’t get a chance to accrue.
In my experience, every home is different. Sometimes a solar attic fan has tremendous results and other times, I have had the rare install with a mediocre result. Several things affect the performance of a solar attic ventilation fan – all are related to the flow of air into the attic:
If the vents allowing air into the attic are restricted (often with insulation), the fan will not function as well as expected. A modern home should be built to building standards and should have sufficient attic venting. The application of attic insulation after construction can sometimes be a little haphazard and cover the vents.
Ridge venting can affect performance. Air takes the shortest, easiest route to the fan. A fan near ridge venting can pull air back down through the ridge venting rather than take the cooler air from the side of the house. Consider blocking the ridge venting, or dropping a “curtain” between the ridge vents and the fan to direct airflow to swirl into the attic.
Best results appear to come from homes with lengthy airflows that are encouraged to develop turbulence throughout the attic.
Points to look for in a Solar Attic Ventilation Fan:
A photovoltaic (PV) panel that is embedded in tempered safety glass. Steer clear of laminated panels. They are less expensive, but only last a few years before they de-laminate, allow water into the electric system or cease functioning.
Airflow between 1150cfm and 1560cfm. This means a 20W or higher PV panel.
Construction geared to the long term. Look for products with good warranties and solid construction (stainless steel, UV protected plastics, Zincalum, aluminum, etc.) Be cautious of products with zinc coated fittings, plastic critter meshes, plastic fan blades, laminated PV panels. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and this also applies to attic fans.
What are you using to cool your attic and increase the life of your home’s air conditioning unit?
Solahart installation on Griz and Karen Adams' home
Last fall, I was fortunate to be part of the team involved in “greening” the Adams’ home in Boerne with a Solahart closed loop solar water heating system. Karen and Griz Adams spent more than two years designing and building Kendall County’s first-ever LEEDS Platinum home. Karen documented the project’s various benchmarks with a blog called Green Dream and featured on MYSA.Com. What’s really exciting is that their home – and the Solahart that my company installed – were featured in the June issue of Natural Home magazine and was named the magazine’s green home of 2009.
Everyone and his brother are focused on the “bright and shiny” world of photovoltaics, but solar water heaters really are the unsung heroes of renewable energy. Even with large rebates on solar electricity generation, solar water heating will usually out-perform the electricity-generating photovoltaic panels with an immediate payback on energy use. I won’t get on my soapbox today about solar water heating, but go read Karen’s blog and the Natural Home article. It makes you want to run right out and build a green home!
It’s a simple concept. Instead of relying on an electric element or a gas flame to heat your household water all the time, a solar water heater has the sun do the work of heating the water and only supplements with electricity or gas when needed. People are surprised by how effective the sun can be for heating water. In Texas, about 85% of a home’s hot water needs can be derived from the sun.
Here’s how it works: in a closed loop system, heat exchange fluid is exposed to the sun via a black absorber. The heat exchange fluid then transfers its heat to the stored potable water. In most homes, 80 gallons of storage is sufficient. It’s very simple, but very effective.
Almost everyone is interested in payback on investing in solar water systems, and that, of course, varies with the type of household you have. The first system I installed five years ago was on my own roof. Immediately after we installed it, we started saving 25% on our monthly electric bill. In the next two years, it will have paid for itself.
A good solar water heater lasts longer than its traditionally fuelled counterparts. Hard water deposits are significantly lessened with solar heating, and a little routine maintenance about every 5 years cleans out those deposits, replaces seals and heat exchange fluid and has the system running as good as new again.
When I started this business, the only product I carried was Solahart, a company which has been manufacturing solar water heaters for over 50 years and has products in over 70 countries around the world. They have a sound reputation built on quality and value. Now there are more choices and more products. But solar water heaters remain, in my mind, the performance giants of this industry.
Not only that, but the company is the world’s largest manufacturer of flat plate collectors! We just haven’t heard much about Velux solar water heating in the USA, because Velux has been concentrating on the skylight market. The company has been producing solar water heaters for more than 20 years.
What sets the Velux product apart from other products in the marketplace?
Velux looked at other types of solar water heaters and chose to concentrate on the active pressurized product. The systems aren’t designed to link together for large scale solar water heating, but they’re perfect for the domestic and light commercial market. Velux also took their corporate knowledge from skylights, roof aesthetics and roof flashings and applied them to solar water heating. The Velux collectors look like they are part of the home’s structure. They meld into the roof and look like skylights. There are no pipes that run externally on the roof. The piping runs beneath the flashing.
One of the issues with solar water heating from other manufacturers is that when the roof needs replacement, the collectors have to be removed, put to the side while the roof is replaced and then reinstalled after the roofers have completed their job. This isn’t something that roofers can do. A solar installation pro needs to be involved for both the removal and reinstallation, and this will involve considerable expense. Velux collectors don’t have this issue. The collectors are part of the roof. Once the collectors are in place, they stay that way. The roofers can just shingle around them.
Another issue with solar water heating is Home Owner Association (HOA) approval. With Velux solar water heating, if the HOA approves skylights, there’s not much argument they can put forward in denying Velux solar water heating. The Velux collectors look just like Velux skylights.
Solar Texas is proud to add “Solar Specialist” certification for Velux Water Heaters. Call us if you want to know more.
Solar Texas recently had the wonderful experience of donating a 14 inch Velux Sun Tunnel to the very deserving recipient of the KENS-5 Mi Casa Makeover home, Cecilia Consuergra. Many, many thanks to Lina Luque at Build San Antonio Green for contacting Solar Texas to ask about possible involvement. This was such a wonderful experience that Solar Texas is looking forward to involvement in the next project. It’s a great feeling to be able to help out in the local community. The Velux Sun Tunnel took about three hours to install. There were several rooms that could have benefitted from Sun Tunnels, but Build SA Green rightly chose the living room as the area where a Sun Tunnel would have the most impact.
The Velux Sun Tunnel was installed in the center of the living room; just inside the front door and to the right. It made a huge impact with the homeowner and with all the contractors who generously donated their products and services. All the video footage shot in the living room after installation shows people bathed in natural sunlight. The Velux Sun Tunnel was featured several times on Great Day SA. See some of the show at: Our Newest Mi Casa Winner. See close-ups and the Velux Sun Tunnel featured at: A Greener Home.
We get questions all the time about providing financing for solar equipment. We’ve never been able to offer that to our customers. Until now! A new San Antonio Federal Credit Union (SACU) initiative announced on Sept. 7 is to be applauded. SACU has set aside $2 million in funding for loans for “green” programs. Read the story about it in SA Express-News story here. The upfront cost of solar panels and solar water heaters is one of the biggest obstacles to greater use of sustainable energy technologies. The SACU program will be a huge confidence boost to the uptake of these technologies. SACU recognizes that the cost savings achieved in the day to day operation of quality sustainable energy-using products can be leveraged to pay back a loan. For a credit union, this sounds like a very safe and sensible way to lend money: the consumer purchases the product and the cost savings achieved are used to pay off the initial loan. The homeowner sees very little impact on the pocketbook from the first day, and it just gets better from there. It sounds like a win-win all the way round.
This Saturday, Oct. 2, find Solar Texas on the Solar San Antonio annual Solar Tour! This is a free, self-guided tour of solar applications around the city. It’s a great way to meet solar installers, look at the ways that solar is being applied to residences and businesses and meet with the homeowners who decided to “go solar.” Most locations will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Solar San Antonio has even put together an interactive Tour Map and partnership with Yelp. Here’s the map with our stop, number 19, marked for you. We are one of only 2 solar water installations on the tour route. Of course, we’re partial to solar water because homeowners and businesses see a quicker payback than some other solar applications. Stop by on Saturday and say hello!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: solar water heating has the best payback for homeowners looking to adopt solar technology into an existing home. When you install a solar water heater, you will instantly start saving up to 25% off your electric bill. Every family has a different water use profile; in our household of 3, our monthly electric bill went down by 25% and has stayed down by 25% for the 5 years we’ve had our solar water heater.
Still, it’s an investment for the average homeowner, as a solar water heating system runs $6,000- $7,500 (installed). There’s no better time to take advantage of current tax credits, rebates and financing. Here are some options:
The Department of Energy offers a 30% tax credit for solar water heaters installed between now and 2016;
CPS Energy offers rebates in its service area that are calculated on the savings derived from the system, provided the homeowner is going from electric to solar. Homeowners can get up to $2000 back on this offer
SACU is partnering with Solar San Antonio to offer a new type of loan to assist homeowners to adopt solar. Read about it on the SACU web site.
Savvy homeowners who are ready to adopt renewable energy, can realize huge savings by taking advantage of these local and national offers. Once you’ve shopped the offers, then start looking at the type of solar water heater that’s right for your home.
We just installed a 14 inch Velux Sun Tunnel on the KENS-5 Mi Casa Makeover Home in San Antonio last week. This house will be featured on KENS 5 Great Day SA in the near future.
The room we chose was a closet off the master bathroom at the rear of the home. Considerable time was spent in the attic and on the roof of the home determining the best location for the Sun Tunnel. The best location was near an existing electric light, but on subsequent evaluation, internal construction mandated that the position be altered slightly for an intersecting gable and associated joists and rafters. It can take some time to find the optimum position of the Sun Tunnel in the ceiling, melding it with existing construction framing, AC ductwork and electrical lines in the attic, and with the optimum position of the base flashing on the roof. This is one step that can’t be rushed. Sometimes it’s easy and straightforward. Other times, it’s not.
Here’s the process:
1. The position of the rafters confirmed; shingles were removed and access cut into the attic. The flashing was caulked, secured into position, overlaid with roofing felt and shingles were cut to fit around the flashing and reinstalled.
2. From within the attic, the location of the ceiling penetration was marked and any insulation moved to the side. Then from within the closet, an opening was cut into the ceiling.
3. The ceiling ring was installed in the closet.
4. The flexible, reflective tunnel was fitted from the roof down into the closet.
5. The Sun Tunnel dome was secured in position and everything was complete on the roof.
6. From within the closet, excess flexible tunnel was cut to length. The loose end was secured and the diffuser and trim ring were fitted.
7. Before and after photos of the Sun Tunnel installation.
This was the 2nd time Solar Texas has installed a Velux Sun Tunnel in a Mi Casa makeover home. We are thrilled to contribute to this homeowner’s new energy savings. What a difference a tunnel makes! Enjoy the slide show above which shows the steps we took to install this Sun Tunnel. Or see the details on our Flickr site.
