The idea of using free solar energy is something that has become extremely popular over the years, and these days more and more people are looking to it as a solution to a great many global problems. Especially with the recent oil spills and their disastrous effects on the environment, people are really wondering if the price we’re paying for using conventional energy sources hasn’t become too high.
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And of course, we needn’t mention the fact that these resources aren’t endless anyway, and that it is inevitable that these resources are going to run out some day. This is another reason why the idea of free solar energy is so attractive.
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Besides, using the energy of the sun is much easier than you can possibly imagine. When you think about solar heating, you in all probability imagine some complicated construction of solar panels, but the simple fact is that you can use the energy of the sun ‘passively’ by applying some common sense rules. You don’t necessarily need a lot of expensive equipment to enjoy the benefits of passive solar heating.
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All it takes is a little careful planning and consideration. Humans today have become so dependent on artificial sources of heat and energy that we have forgotten to a great extent just how to make use of the vast energies and warmth that sunlight can provide.
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And the fact that we rely so much upon central heating means that our houses are not optimized to make use of the heat and light of the sun, which is the essence of passive solar heating. Besides, in regions of high population density, people might simply not have the option of being able to plan for solar optimization and passive solar heating anyway.
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However, if you own your own home, there are a few simple principles of passive solar heating that you can put into practice right away. The whole basis of passive solar heating is to allow the sun to heat your rooms during the day, and to store that warmth for the night. To do this you need large, well insulated windows that will let in the generous warmth of the sun.
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The key words here are ‘large’ and ‘insulation’. The glass of your windows is perfect for capturing the sunlight. Large windows let the sunlight warm the air in the room sufficiently, and if the room is sufficiently well insulated, it remains warm.
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Passive solar heating works very well if there are surfaces in the house with a lot of thermal mass. Stone and concrete are perfect for this: they grow warm during day time and then radiate that warmth at night.
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And of course, most of the windows in your house should face the sun. In the northern hemisphere the windows of the house should face south in order to maximize the benefits of passive solar heating.
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Of course, just how successful passive solar heating is depends on the size of your rooms, the size of the windows, climatic conditions and seasonal temperatures. Insulated shades will be needed to preserve the warmth you manage to collect during the day time: just don’t forget to open them in the morning and lower them in the evening after the sunset.
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Generally speaking, if you’re building your own home, you should bring in a professional solar energy consultant to ensure that the structure is built to maximize the benefits of passive solar heating.
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Best regards,
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The Build Solar Team
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P.S Interested in other Solar articles? Why not check out our Solar Power Batteries article?
