Solar Thermal (Hot Water) Collector Systems

A hot water solar collector is a solar water heater that uses the sun's energy to heat liquid. This heated liquid is transferred from the collectors, to a heat storage vessel, such as a solar storage tank. These collectors are normally mounted on a roof, but can also be ground mounted.

There are two types of solar thermal collectors. One is a flat plate collector and the other is an evacuated tube collector. A properly sized system in Pennsylvania can provide approximately 50% to 70% of the energy required for domestic hot water in a residence or business. The payback period for a solar thermal system can vary depending on the type and cost of energy that the client is currently using to heat their domestic hot water.

See an example system in the picture of the white house: Solar Electric PV Panels on roof. Solar Hot Water Collectors at ground level – 8 collectors used for basement space heating. Only 3 collectors used during warm weather to heat domestic hot water. 5 collectors offline during warm weather.

Incentives are available to install renewable energy systems. Click here to learn more.

Flat Plate Collectors

Solar Swimming Pool Heating

An outdoor solar pool heating system is inexpensive to install compared to other renewable energy systems. To heat an indoor pool we must use the above solar thermal collectors that can collect solar energy year round. The collectors for the outdoor pools are a high density black plastic, light in weight and will last many years.

Click the logo to download information on Solar Industries Pool Heating Collectors.