Solar power is one of the cleanest, most renewable forms of energy on our planet. In the last few years, however, technology has not only caught up with this trend but has maximized the way we make solar power. In the earlier days of harnessing this energy, there was this great need to install massive solar panels just so a small house can use the most minimal volume of energy. These days, solar panels are smaller, lighter and more efficient in “harvesting” larger volumes of solar energy. The best part of this deal is: this clean, dependable energy can now be put to use for more practical applications in the home via do-it-yourself or DIY kits.

For the more conventional home use, some people are now actively using to solar energy for their water heating system. In order to create solar power for this, small panels can be installed either directly on the roof of the house or as free standing models on the concrete building roof. Called thermal hot water source, these solar panels contain liquid agents that transmit the accumulated heat from the thermal collectors and channel them to the necessary pipes of your home. These pipes, in turn, would eventually “radiate” the heat (either through steam or metal conduction) to the pipes that run the home’s water supply.

These systems are also sometimes called solar combisystem, especially if the home in question is rather expansive. Depending on the device, system and tools being used, electricity is sometimes used to “move” the accumulated solar energy to the numerous house pipes. Some devices use solar energy with electricity to bring in heating for the pipers. In both cases, there is always solar energy and electricity working together – hence, the term combination system. The combisystem is now also being utilized to bring hot water supply to indoor baths and kitchen faucets.

This technology was initially used to heat outdoor pools. The solar panels (stored offsite) accumulated the energy which was piped through underground heating pipes via electricity. In fact, there are still a fair number of pool owners who still use this system to make outdoor pools a little more tolerable during some of the colder season. These days though, the technology has greatly evolved. And the solar power being used to heat pipes are mostly pure sunlight power trapped in unglazed plastic air collectors. In turn, these plastic collectors help transmit heat either by convection or radiation.

More elaborate solar devices can actually transform the steam and hot water generated by the pipes into usable and ready electricity. By installing such devices in the home, utility bills (particularly those concerning heating) can be dramatically reduced for the homeowner. 

On a grander scale, solar energy is also being incorporated for use in heating the entire architectural structure. As part of the HVAC (heating-ventilation-air-conditioning) system, some areas of the globe can be sustained through the colder months using thermal heat alone. Again, depending on the technology being used, some thermal HVAC systems utilize liquid agents as heat conductors, while other are combined with either electricity or gas (natural gas or propane) to also create enough energy to run the air conditioning system.

If you’re interested in cashing in on the savings to be made from solar power, check out the recommended products on this site which have been reviewed and rated by our green team.