How Solar Thermal Works
Solar thermal uses solar collectors made from highly conductive materials to trap heat. The collectors are mounted to your roof and heat a non-toxic solar fluid — similar to antifreeze — which transfers its energy to create hot water. The hot water is stored in a pre-heated tank, which feeds into your home’s current hot water tank. The average system uses 2-3 collectors and provides up to 80% of a home’s annual hot water needs.
A solar thermal system’s cycle works like this:
- The sun heats the non-toxic, freeze-proof solar fluid in a solar collector on your roof.
- A controller in your basement detects that the solar fluid is hotter than the water in your hot water tank.
- A solar station pumps the solar fluid from the collector to the hot water tank.
- The solar fluid flows through a pipe coiling inside the water tank, and heats the water in the tank.
- Hot water is available for you to use in your home.
- The solar fluid is pumped back up to the collector, where it is once again heated by the sun.