For those of us who aren’t technically minded, especially in terms of solar energy, asking the question; how do solar water heating panels work, is a fundamental question to start with, when considering switching to a solar water heating system.

When Renaissance Solar was founded in 2009, this team was determined to provide affordable solar water heating systems, and, considering that back then solar panels were a lot more expensive than they are today, you can rely on this team to offer even more affordable solar panels and other solar products today.

How do solar water heating panels work

At its simplest and most basic level, solar panels covert sunlight into heat, which is then collected by a thermal collector to give you hot water, directly from the sun.

This is free hot water for life once you’ve reached the final stage of the payback period of your investment, and, considering that electricity just keeps getting more expensive, it’s a no brainer that there’ll soon be a solar water heating system in every home and business in South Africa!

Solar water heating systems (SWH) can be used for many applications, such as for commercial, residential, industrial and agricultural use, to name but a few of the ways in which both private and business life can be positively impacted by the installation of a SWH system.

Solar water heating systems and solar geysers are available in a wide variety of configurations designed to meet every requirement a Renaissance Solar client may have.

What does a solar water heating system consist of?

Again, sticking to the absolute basics, a SWH system consists of a geyser and a panel, the size of each will depend on your requirements for hot water.  

Cut down on electricity bills

As a first step towards solar energy, investing in a solar water heating system will cut your electricity bill by at least 40%, and you’ll be looking at a system that’ll last for many years, without needing constant maintenance, especially when you choose Renaissance Solar quality!

If you’re passionate about caring for our environment, you’ll also be doing your bit to help out Mother Nature, which should be as precious to us as the sun is.

If you take into account how rapidly solar water heating technology is advancing and, due to these technological advances, the savings that you’re looking at, it’s easy to see the far reaching financial benefits attached to changing to solar products like SWH systems.

Consult the experts in solar water heating systems in Cape Town

We need experts like the team at Renaissance Solar to help us to work out the perfect solution to suit our hot water requirements, and to get the most out of your budget.

The team at Renaissance Solar is passionate about harnessing energy from the sun and, in their commitment to spread its power they put their clients first, bringing you a team that really cares about offering you quality solar products at affordable prices.

Contact the team today to get the easy rundown on how solar water heating systems really work and you’ll meet people you can rely on to be transparent, and to offer you service excellence long after your installation!

Go for it…there are further Eskom tariff increases on the way!

 

 

 

The only reason a solar water heating system won’t be reliable will be because you’ve chosen the wrong solar company, first to supply you with quality products and then to carry out a bad installation!

If you choose the right solar company to deal with, you’ll find that not only will they help you find the right solution to suit the energy requirements of your family or business; they’ll also be able to provide you with quality solar products that’ll suit your budget perfectly.

Is solar water heating system reliable?

The next question, after you’ve asked the one about the cost of a solar water heating system to suit your requirements, is probably ‘is solar water heating system reliable?.

The answer to this is yes, if:

You understand, that as with any other regular property maintenance checks and inspections, your solar water heating system is also going to require the tender loving care any pump system would need, to keep it performing at its best.

This does not mean you’ll have to check it every week or month, but, if you’ve formed a trusted relationship with a reliable team like the one at Renaissance Solar, they’ll make sure you know exactly when it would be best to do a maintenance check.

A well-installed quality solar water heating system that’s maintained when necessary, which could be around once a year or year and a half, is one that will be reliable for many years to come.

Will there be hot water throughout winter?

This is where we need to take a quick look at 2 types of solar collectors:

A solar collector is the solar panel on your roof that absorbs radiation from the sun and then transfers the energy to either a fluid or material, which, at its most basic, is where the process of heating water for your home or business begins.

Frost-free areas – Flat plate collectors are insulated boxes designed to be weatherproof, which contain a dark absorber plate under either a polymer or glass cover. This is the ideal collector for you if you live in a frost-free area. 

Cold, frost areas – If you live in one of the colder areas in South Africa, where frost is prevalent in winter, you’ll be best served by installing Evacuated tube collectors.

These collectors consist of parallel rows of transparent glass tubes, and, with its glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a coated fin; you’ll be looking at less heat loss, especially if you have to get through pretty cold temperatures in winter!

So yes, you’ll have a reliable source of free hot water throughout the year, once you’ve taken the step to invest in a solar water heating system!

Speak to the experts at Renaissance Solar

If you want absolute energy efficiency, a solar water heating system you can rely on to give you an unbeatable return on investment, let the awesome team of experts at Renaissance Solar in Cape Town introduce you to the most reliable solar water heating systems available!

This team will give you the complete rundown on exactly what it will take for you to break the shackles that Eskom has on your budget, and they’ll do it by providing you with quality local solar products at exceptionally competitive prices!

Don’t get left behind as South Africans forge a future in which they no longer have to pay for hot water, as well as contributing to the safety of our embattled environment for a greener future!

Water heating is without a doubt the greatest drain on your energy budget in your home and business, which is why millions of consumers are taking the important first step towards lowering their electricity bills by installing solar water heating systems.

While many are still put off by the initial outlay for a solar water heating system, the benefits are extremely rewarding, especially when you take into consideration relatively short payback periods.

So, is solar heating worth it? Getting down to brass tacks and the bottom line, the answer is yes! Especially if shaving off up to 40% of your electricity bill will make your bank balance look a lot healthier, and give you the extra moola to spend on much nicer goodies!

Is solar heating worth it?

Let’s look at a few of the pros and cons involved in choosing to install a solar water heating system:

Pro

Lowering electricity usage

Energy savings is the number one pro, which in an embattled economic climate, as well as with ever-escalating tariff increases from Eskom, with its monopoly on the power grid, makes solar heating an exceptionally attractive alternative for heating water.

Once your solar water heating system is installed, you won’t be using electricity to heat your water, so, though you’ll be busy with your payback period, you’ll have free hot water from the sun!

Pro

Beautifully sunny South Africa

Living in South Africa is a real blessing when it comes to relying on solar heating, with a climate that has more sun than Europe could ever hope for, yet Europeans have been relying on solar energy to power everything from their homes and businesses to heating their water!

If they can do it, we have no excuse!

Con

The upfront financial investment

The average South African simply doesn’t have money lying around doing nothing, which means that, though solar heating will save you a fortune in the long run; the initial outlay may seem a little overwhelming.

Because of the complexities of a solar water heating system in comparison with an electrical geyser, counting your pennies in order to pay for the installation can feel a little steep.

The good news here is that Renaissance Solar in Cape Town will assist you to make your investment work perfectly for you, by offering affordable solar water heating systems of high quality.

This team works with local suppliers and local solar products, which is an immediate bonus for you, and, by bringing your water heating requirements and budget to this awesome team, you’ll find it’s easier to make solar water heating a reality.

The initial investment is also offset by the longevity of the solar geyser, such as in the case of Xstream Geysers offering a 7 year warranty, and the 10 year warranty you’ll enjoy with the solar panels!

Con

A wee bit of maintenance

First off, Renaissance Solar has been in the solar industry since 2009, and you can rely on this team to be at your door in a jiffy when a solar water heating system needs any maintenance.

The solar water heating panels have to deal with exposure to the elements, so you’d be looking at having to carry out regular maintenance on them, to keep them healthy and extend their lifespan.

The good news is that you’d only need to get the team in to do maintenance perhaps once a year, which isn’t going to be too painful. Aside from which, the service excellence you receive from Renaissance Solar includes not being ripped off for these services! 

Bottom line; it’s all sunshine & roses at Renaissance Solar!

To reiterate; is solar heating worth it? 

Absolutely! Quite frankly, the benefits of installing a solar water heating system far outweighs any minor disadvantages as discussed above! 

Contact Renaissance Solar to find out more about soaking up the sun to enjoy hot water all year round, no matter how big or small your property is, this team will find the perfect solution to suit your hot water requirements, and your budget! 

 

Here are a few really good reasons to answer the question ‘why use solar water heating system’! It’s economical, environmentally friendly, and an investment which, aside from offering immediate savings (even while you’re in the payback period!), is going to make you smile at the long term returns you can look forward to!

Why use solar water heating system?

Quite simple really, aside from the technical details; Eskom can never again interfere with your hot water supply; no matter how many times they find reasons for load shedding!

How does a solar water heating system work?

To get the real answers to this question you’d be better served by the experts at Renaissance Solar, who will take the technical language and break it down into language you’re able to understand, without having to stretch your brain too much.

For that reason, let’s keep it as simple as possible here, just to give you the gist of how solar heating systems work. The system starts with solar panels mounted on your roof, which contains tubes filled with water and connected via an inlet and outlet tube to the holding tank, which becomes your supply of hot water on tap.

Even cloudy weather isn’t going to rob you of hot water throughout the year, but, if you do want to add electrical back-up to the system, chat to the team at Renaissance Solar and they’ll work out the right option for you.

Different types of solar water heating systems

There are various types of solar water heating systems on offer from Renaissance Solar, so that whether you choose a direct solar water heating system or indirect system, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which would suit your requirements best. 

The indirect solar water heating system

If you live in an area with ‘hard’ water, which is water that technically has a high content of dissolved minerals, as well as in an area where frost is prevalent in winter, this would be the best option for you.

An indirect solar water heating system consists of a heat exchange system that uses a heat transfer liquid to transfer the heat from the solar collector to the holding tank.

The direct solar water heating system

This is the ideal solar water heating system if you live in a mild climate that has water which has a low concentration of calcium carbonate as opposed to ‘hard’ water elsewhere.

The direct solar water heating system simply circulates the water directly between a storage tank and the collector itself.

Flat-plate solar collectors

With a cover made from toughened glass and an essential weather-resistant casing, as well as a coated metal absorber plate designed for durability, flat-plate collectors supplied and installed by Renaissance Solar are an affordable and tough option.

Evacuated tube solar collectors

Yep, it’s all sounding a little too technical here, but that’s what the friendly team of experts at Renaissance Solar are there for! They translate the technical terms, bits and parts of solar water heating systems, into a language that us solar dummies struggle with, but let’s thunder on…

Evacuated tube collectors are fundamentally made up of a network of tubes, which are able to generate more hot water even in the coldest conditions. The only drawback with evacuated tube collectors is that they can crack because they don’t have the same weather-resistant casing.

Many more questions on your mind already?

Although solar water heating systems are relatively simple, in terms of the fact that the system consists of only a geyser and a panel, if you want to get the most for your investment, list your questions and give the team at Renaissance Solar a call today to start changing your tomorrows!

Renaissance Solar has been supplying and installing SABS quality high and low pressure solar hot water systems in Cape Town since 2009.

With this team on your side, you’ll be starting a real adventure into freedom from high electricity tariffs and a grid supply that’s unstable, to say the least!