Monterey solar hot water heater installation
Posted by steve coach on Fri, Nov 25, 2011 @ 02:51 PM
In order to get the most out of your Monterey solar water heater installation, you need to have a large enough area for the solar collectors, and an area that provides the proper sun exposure. It would be ideal if you have a flat roof, because it is very easy to orient the collectors so that they directly face the sun. If you have a pitched roof, it is best that the collectors are installed on the south side.
The size of the area depends on the amount of hot water you need daily. It will also depend on the kind of collectors that are used, your geographic location, and the orientation of the collectors.
There are two kinds of solar water heater systems; active and passive. An active system does not require a tank located on the roof and uses a small pump to circulate the water that is heated through solar power. A passive system does not use a pump, but the tank (or tanks) has to be installed on the roof.
If you choose to use an active system for your Monterey solar hot water heater installation, then you will more than likely not need structural calculations or roof bracing because the weight of the collectors used are normally well within the load limits of the roof. If you want a passive system, however, some simple structural bracing may be needed.
Maintenance and operation
You will probably not have to do very much, if anything at all, once your system has been installed and in operation. Solar water heater systems are used year-round and are totally automatic. An active system has a small electronic control that has indicator lights that will inform you of any sort of malfunction. Make sure you do not ignore the instructions included in your system in regard to freeze protection, because freeze damage is possible anywhere in California.
If you have any other questions regarding a Monterey solar water heater installation, please contact the expert professionals at Poco Solar by calling (408) 970-0680 or (650) 324-0680. Let us put our 25 years of experience in the solar power industry to work for you.
About Poco Solar: Poco Solar is a full service solar company that provides solar electric, solar pool heating, solar hot water heating and repair of solar systems in Monterey County, San Benito County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County. With more than 25 years of experience we have been helping Bay Area California residents stay comfortable, save energy and sell excess energy back to PG&E.