Passive Solar Heating Will Save Money | Home Improvement

By RyanMcCall
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When it comes to heating costs, most of us are not lucky enough to live in a temperate area with a constant year-round climate, and instead have to contend with winter heating bills that can be exceptionally high. When evaluating alternative home heating, an option that is often overlooked is passive solar heating. You not only save money, but energy as well.

Even on those truly frigid days in the dead of winter, the sun still emits a noticeable amount of heat. The only factor that precludes the accumulated snow from melting is the long night and short daylight period. Wouldn't it be nice if you could use the sun's heat when it's available without needing to significantly modify your house?

Passive solar heating works best and most economically in climates with clear skies during the winter and where traditional heating sources are relatively expensive. Passive solar design is very energy efficient and reduces energy demands for lighting, heating and cooling.

Here is where the Trombe wall comes in. This wall is made of a thermal mass (such as concrete or stone) that can store the heat built up during the day, and then release it slowly throughout both the night and day. On the outside the wall is insulated by a glass pane and an airspace, thus preventing the loss of heat to the outside during the night. A shade rests above the glass that allows direct light exposure during low winter sun, but acts as a protection during prolonged high summer sun heat, this dual action helps keep cooling bills in the summer low also.

It is also possible to use a waterfall instead of masonry which will deliver heat more quickly. This is because heat is transferred much more quickly because of the convection currents in the water.

Unless you are doing major renovations to your home, it may not be easy to retrofit your house for passive solar heating. However designing a custom home is very expensive, and so is implementing other energy efficient measures, such as radiant heating. The advantage of passive solar is that once installed, it costs almost nothing to use as opposed to the other alternatives.

Even though it became popular in homes built in the 1960's, the idea behind the Trombe wall actually originated in the 19th century. In shopping for that new, energy efficient home, you should keep in mind that you can still go green by using past, proven design techniques.

Now that the awareness of green issues is commonplace, people are becoming aware of the costs involved in heating our homes, both financial and environmental. Ideas from our ancestors, both ancient and not so ancient, solutions such as passive solar heating, are being looked at as viable because not only do they have a benefit environmentally, but they save us money as well.

About the Author

Two things people seldom consider when it comes to eco-friendly home heating is the use of passive solar heating and Trombe walls.

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