With the Amount of Sun in Phoenix, Solar Water Heaters Make Sense… Right?

These days, many of us are trying to think green. So, you’d think that solar water heaters in Phoenix make sense. We are mindful of recycling, we are mindful of turning the lights off when we are not using them, and we are mindful of turning the faucet off while we are brushing our teeth. We get the concept of being friendly to the Earth, but sometimes Earth-friendly isn’t always pocketbook friendly. In today’s blog, Robins Plumbing, Inc. talks about solar water heaters- an environmentally-friendly alternative to the standard water heater.

1. Solar Water Heaters | A Basic Understanding

   There are 2 major types of solar water heaters. The first and most common style uses 1 or 2 solar panels on the roof. The panels on the roof will also have a minimum 80-gallon storage tank with a single element, a mixing valve, a controller, and a pump. The premise is to use the heat from solar energy to heat the water. A pump is used to circulate the hot water from the solar panel to the water heater tank. This literally transfers the heated water from the roof to the water heater. The controller tells the pump when to run or not through a series of sensors.

   The storage tank must be at least 80 gallons due to the amount of hot water and the temperature of hot water that the system can produce. The Mixing valve is installed just before the water enters the house to ensure the water is not too hot. With 80 gallons of very hot water at the ready in most cases, there is enough hot water to be mixed to get by the times when there is no sun to heat up your water. When there is a prolonged time of no sun, for example, several days of very cloudy weather or a substantial amount of water is used at night, there is an element in the storage tank that acts as a backup to ensure hot water is still provided.

   The second system uses a similar premise. The only difference is instead of pumping the water through the solar panel, it pumps Propylene Glycol Inhibited-Heat Transfer Fluid (basically anti-freeze), in a closed loop through the panel. As it flows through the panel it goes through a conduit that wraps around the tank under the insulation to heat the water through heat transfer. This particular system does add a bit of cost at installation. But, this system should prolong the life of most of the components, so it does tend to last longer but as stated with an additional investment.

2. Do You Have A Leaking Solar Water Heater?

   If you have a solar water heater, you’ve probably found yourself at a crossroads. Do you stay with a solar water heater or do you convert back to electric? Solar water heaters, as described above, have a lot to their system. A solar water heater unit includes solar panels, pumps, mixing valves and all of the plumbing that ties them together. There is a lot that can go wrong with a solar water heater. There are times that we advise clients to convert back to electric. We sometimes recommend clients convert back because so many components of their solar water heater systems need to be replaced.

   There is an option that is both energy saving and cost effective. Also, this option does not have all of the components required to make a solar water heater work. That option is a hybrid water heater. Hybrid water heaters, rather than using the sun to heat up water, uses ambient heat surrounding the water heater to heat water. Hybrid water heaters can be a fraction of the investment of a solar water heating system. Electric hybrid water heaters also take up a lot less space than a solar water heating system. Hybrid water heaters are the best of both worlds. Electric hybrid water heaters are also great because they’re friendly for our Earth and friendly on our wallets.

3. Want to Know More About Water Heater Alternatives?

   With the recent advancements in water heater technology, many homeowners and commercial business owners across Phoenix are switching to hybrid water heaters. As Phoenix’s premier plumbing company, Robins Plumbing, Inc. can help you decide. We provide our clients with the best information on whether a hybrid will make sense for your space or not.

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of plumbing services in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing to provide you with prompt and expert care, contact our team today! In addition to our toilet services, we also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!