Posts Tagged ‘solar heating’

HVAC Energy Efficiency

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are some of the largest consumers of energy in modern households. In fact, some estimations place the average home’s use of energy for HVAC at around 50%. Fortunately, there are a variety of steps that can be taken to reduce this drastic figure, not only promoting a healthier environment, but saving a pretty penny on electric bills as well. If you’re curious about how this may be accomplished, read on for a few ideas.

The most obvious means of increasing HVAC efficiency is by using an energy-efficient system. Newer heaters and air conditioners are not only constructed of more modern materials that improve insulation and reduce electric use, but also feature computerized systems for enhanced temperature control. As such, not only do these systems use the energy they are given more efficiently, but they also allow an unprecedented level of control over the times of day when heating or cooling is used.

Upgrading an inefficient system to a newer, more energy-efficient one is a step that many will not take without incentive. While more efficient systems will save money over longer terms due to lower bills, this is often not enough cause to justify such an expensive upgrade. As such, many state and federal tax credits are available to further encourage such a move.

Information on such credits can vary widely based on where you are located. An online search is the best place to start, with lots of information being made available at the Energy Star website (http://www.energystar.gov.) Your HVAC contractor is also likely a great source of information, as knowledge of the various tax credits available in your region is a great way to encourage purchases that might otherwise not be made.

Another less obvious source of increased energy efficient heating and cooling is solar power, or more specifically, passive solar energy. With the correct architectural and other considerations, the rays of the sun can be harnessed not only to heat a structure, but to cool one as well. Such use can dramatically slash your need for traditional, electronic systems.

Solar energy’s ability to heat is its most obvious use. Proper placement of windows can admit rays which have a dramatic effect on internal temperatures. In instances where windows are not available, glass tubes can be used to channel rays into other enclosed spaces, offering the benefits of solar heating in rooms without an abundance of natural light.

Solar energy can be used to cool as well. By heating air in certain locations, the sun’s rays can cause the air to rise, displacing it with cooler air. As such, a location can be cooled by the constant replacement of the heated air by cooler, moving wind.

Many other solar techniques are available for heating and cooling. Using solar energy in this way is often more efficient than is converting it into electrical power, a process in which some energy is lost. As such, passive techniques can be used in areas where traditional solar energy use is otherwise impractical.

While heating and cooling represents a large energy expenditure, there are a variety of steps and techniques that can be used to lessen waste and boost efficiency.

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Harnessing the Sun for Home Heat

We have grown accustomed to having heat at the push of a button. This heat though too often is generated through inefficient methods. A much more energy efficient,not to mention cost effective, way to heat our homes,schools, and businesses is to use solar power.Capturing heat from the sun can be done in several ways,even in the dead of winter.In order to harness the sun’s heat what is called a solar source is needed.A solar source is something that will attract the sun’s rays and trap the heat generated by them. A sun room is a good way to illustrate this.

Sun rooms are attached to the house and are typically constructed of floor to ceiling glass panels.They are usually built to face the full morning sun so as to get the full effect of the heat. The glass intensifies the sun’s rays so that everything in the room is heated. This is a very efficient and generally economical way of heating.

Here are some other types of solar heat:

Thermal mass that absorbs and retains the heat of the sun while it is shining and then disperses it after the sun goes down.

A natural ventilation and solar heating system, the Trombe Wall, uses air channels to trap heat between glass and a solar mass facing the sun. That sunlight is then absorbed and stored in the wall before being circulated through vents in the top and bottom of the wall.The wall uses this to radiate the heat.

A solar chimney is another solar ventilation system. It is made of a thermal mass that is hollow on the inside. The chimney warms the air inside of the chimney and causes the heat to rise. This rise allows air to vent and circulate properly.

A great way to ventilate a building is through solar cooling. Solar heat is absorbed and cooled with ice made by a solar powered steam engine that is attached to a cooling device.

There are several ways we can heat and cool our homes,schools, and businesses. The methods that have been listed try to highlight how you can use the sun for this need without having to depend on those that use non renewable materials for energy.

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