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The sun produces untold trillions of watts of power, and even though we receive just a tiny fraction of that power, it is many times capable of empowering our entire world. For the past few decades, solar power has been gaining prominence as the technology matures and it becomes even more efficient and cheap to produce equipment for. Most people are familiar with solar panels that convert solar rays into usable electricity. However, solar power can also be harvested for its heat energy, as in the case of solar power water heaters, which don’t use any source of power but the sun to heat water.

Millions of Degrees

The sun burns so brightly and hotly that it is many millions of degrees in temperature. When it reaches Earth it only warms us to 0 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That might not seem too impressive, but there is still a great deal of heat in all of the solar rays that bombard us. The only problem is finding a way to harvest those solar rays. Most of them aren’t absorbed, and if there were a way to effectively absorb many of them, a great deal of concentrated heat could be produced for our use. Solar power water heaters use solar panels to trap that heat and concentrate it (effectively making it hotter), so even though the atmosphere might not get hotter than 100 degrees, or even if it is below freezing, solar power water heaters can easily heat water up to 200 degrees (although they may require a backup source of energy from time to time).

Many consumers might be rightfully wary of purchasing any new technology, and solar power water heaters and no exception. However, as they mature, you can rest assured that the appliances will become even more reliable and efficient, so only make the purchase when you feel comfortable and assured. Even bigger savings can be achieved through the use of what are known as passive solar water heaters. Active models use pumps and other mechanical devices to move the warm liquid or air along, but passive versions achieve the same results without the use of those devices, so they save even more energy and consequently money.

If you’re ready to start weaning yourself off of the power grid, then now is the time to upgrade to solar power water heaters. You’ll end up saving hundreds of dollars a year, and you’ll never have to worry about the energy being shut off because the sun won’t stop burning for billions of years. On top of all of those savings, you’ll also be able to sleep easier at night knowing you are doing what you can to help deal with the climate crisis and save the environment.

Most people today still use conventional water heaters, which can cost hundreds of dollars each year to operate and maintain. However, the big focus in the energy industry over the past decade has been renewable energy: clean, plentiful, and cheap. At first, sources of renewable energy was too costly to be an effective solution to the world’s energy crisis, but frequent technological advances have made possible the dream of a world independent of oil and coal. To continue this trend, you can replace your conventional water heater with a state of the art solar hot water heater.

Any Climate

One of the most impressive features of solar hot water heaters is that they are quite versatile. They can be used in any climate, although there are different types for warm and cold climates to optimize their efficiency. For example, solar hot water heater models for colder climates use an antifreeze liquid to transfer heat energy to the water heater, while models designed for warmer climates skip the antifreeze because it wouldn’t be necessary. This means that no matter where you live, you can purchase and install a solar hot water heater for your home.

Not only can you shave 10% of your energy bill off each month, but you will also be helping the environment out while you’re at it. Think about it – you can easily save $25 off your energy bill each month and help the environment. It’s a win-win situation that even if you can afford to pass up, you won’t want to. So how hard is it to install a solar power water heater? You probably won’t want to do it yourself, but you can expect to pay little more than a thousand at most to cover the cost of the heater and installation, so those savings will become even more apparent after about three years. Additionally, if you add the cost onto a mortgage, you’ll be able to shave a few more dollars off in tax deductions.

Of course in an idealistic world, the first consideration for installing an environmentally-friendly appliance would be the environment and not money (although that’s generally not the case). However, a solar hot water heater is both economical and environmentally helpful as you’ll be releasing less carbon dioxide into the air. The sun is going to burn brightly for a few more million years, so it’s about time that we start using it to provide cheap and infinite power. Without a doubt, such appliances will become even more efficient in the years to come, but that’s hardly a reason to wait. Each month that you put it off, you’re simply losing money that you could be saving with a solar hot water heater.

Heated water is absolutely necessary for our way of life, and so many people are content to pay whatever they have to pay for this commodity. However, you may be spending several times what you need to if you use a traditional electric water heater. If you are still using one of those big tanks, then now is a great time to upgrade to a cheaper and more efficient water heating unit. Instead of supplying power off of the electric grid, you can use the power of the sun to heat your water, granting you some big savings each year. A solar water heater uses solar rays not to produce electricity, like with photovoltaic cells in solar panel arrays, but simply to produce heat energy.

Some Maintenance but Much Cheaper

A solar hot water heater is the perfect choice for ecologically aware individuals and families. A conventional water heater may account for as much as ten percent of your electric bill per month, although that number certainly varies a lot depending on the age of your water heater (newer conventional water heaters use less energy than older models). Installing a solar water heater is more profitable under certain conditions than others. For example, purchasing a new house and installing a solar water heater can easily help you save $20 a month, while the cost can be as little as $10 a month on your mortgage. Home owners with mid-1990 models or older will also see significant savings when they install a new solar water heater in their home.

However, there is a small amount of maintenance associated with solar water heaters. Fortunately, it isn’t costly or time-consuming, and you’ll only need to perform it about every three years (the hardest part is simply remembering to perform it). Different solar water heaters require different forms of maintenance, but it won’t be anything too difficult to perform. Another note of caution: solar water heaters generally have a backup source of electricity (generally off of the grid) for when the sun does not supply quite enough power to heat your water. While in theory this isn’t necessary, nobody wants to shower in cold water, so you can expect your solar water heater to still use about 10% the electricity that your conventional water heater uses. So far, no 100% electricity-free water heater has been developed, but you can certainly take a huge step towards that goal with a solar water heater.