Solar water heaters and solar panels (also known as solar PV systems) are both great investments, but they work quite differently. What’s the difference? Which one is better for your home? Here’s the information you need to decide which system is right for you.

What Are Solar Water Heaters?

Solar water heaters work by pumping cold water up to special collector panels on your roof, where the sun heats the water directly. The hot water is then returned to the top part of the special water tank.

What if there’s no sun? Solar water heaters are also connected to a traditional energy source, so you never have to worry about running out of hot water at night or on cloudy days.

How Are Solar Water Heaters Different from Solar Panels?

Rather than converting sunlight into energy like solar PV panels, which is then used to heat your water, solar water heaters bring cold water up to special panels in your roof that use the sun’s rays to heat the water directly.

Solar water heaters only heat water and don’t provide extra energy. While this may seem like a downside, they can still save you a significant amount of money each month while requiring less of an upfront investment than solar PV kits.

Benefits of Solar Water Heaters

Some of the benefits of solar water heaters include:

• Save money. Up to 30% of your energy bill each month is for heating water, and solar water heaters use up to 90% less energy than regular water heaters. Additionally, your solar water heater may get you a tax break!
• Save the environment. Heating your water with the power of the sun prevents fossil fuels and other expendable resources from being used to heat your water.
• Low maintenance. Solar water heaters have no moving parts and require very little maintenance to keep them going for years.

Which One Is Right for You?

Solar water heaters are one of the lowest-cost ways to add solar to your home, and you can see savings on your electric bill even if you don’t have a ton of roof space.

On the other hand, if you do have lots of roof space and can afford the upfront investment, a solar PV system may be the way to go for maximum energy savings.

Learn More Today

If you want to learn more about solar water heaters, solar PV systems, or any of our other great products, contact The LeverEdge today by clicking here or calling 813-403-5100 today. Our expert staff can help you choose the right system for you.