Solar Water Heating Systems

Do solar hot water systems work in the Vermont?

Yes consumers in the the Mad River Valley having been using the solar energy to heat their domestic hot water decades. We offer systems are designed to operate in our colder climates. Typically a solar hot water system will provide for about 70% of your hot water needs annually and almost 100% in summer months.

How does a solar water heating system operate?

In the Mad River Valley we use active closed loop systems. This provides excellent year-round performance and eliminates freeze-up concerns. This is a typical solar operating sequence:

• As hot water is used cold water is feed into the solar hot water storage tank.
• An antifreeze solutions (typically glycol and water) is circulated to the solar panels to be heated by sun. The pump controlling this process only operated when solar energy is available in the panels.
• The heated antifreeze solution returns to a heat exchanger in the solar water tank. Here the warmth from the antifreeze passes to the potable water in the solar tank. Hot water is now available for use though-out the home.
• If there is not enough solar energy available a back-up energy source is used to provide additional water heating capacity

Costs and Savings

The price of a solar water heater varies based on the number of people using hot water and the pattern of use. We can help you evaluate your hot water requirements. A rule of thumb is that a typical home requires 20 gallons of hot water per day per resident.

An installed solar water heating systems include the panels, solar water tank, pump, associated parts, and installation. This cost is before tax incentives and utility rebates which in our area can reduce the net cost of the system by 25% or more. To review current energy incentives in Vermont click here.