We regularly design, install and service solar thermal systems in the front range and foothills areas. Our President, Daimon Vilppu, has nine years of experience with solar thermal residential and commercial systems. Our technicians have a minimum of two-years experience and are trained carefully by Mr. Vilppu.
 
Overview of Solar Hot Water and Heating Systems (by Daimon Vilppu, Pres.)
 
Solar Hot Water
 
Solar hot water systems are by far the simplest, most efficient and economical solar system technology available today. These systems typically preheat your hot water, which keeps your existing hot water heater from running. It doesn't matter what kind of hot water heater you use. A solar hot water system can work with any of them.
 
Solar Heating
 
Solar heating is a great way to heat your home and can work with most heating systems. Mostly we install and design solar systems that work with radiant heating. But we also design systems that work with furnaces as well as baseboard heaters. All of these systems work generally the same. The solar system will provide and heat the house first, automatically switching over the the backup heating system whenever the solar is not available. Typically the systems are much larger than solar hot water systems, requiring more collectors and storage. Of course, with a solar heating system, you also get solar hot water included.
 
Solar Pools
 
Colorado is a great place to keep the pool heated. I have worked on many systems for community pools and our residential clients. There are panels that are specifically made for pool heating. These panels are the most widely used panels for solar today, and have been for years. Most people simply aren't aware that they are an option.
 
How the solar thermal systems work
 
All solar thermal systems have two main components; Heat in and Heat out.

• Heat in is where the solar collectors (also called panels) absorb the suns energy in the form of heat and transfer that heat to a solar storage tank (Heat in to the solar storage tank). The only differences between the solar systems is; how many collectors or panels, what type of collectors and what fluid is used to transport the heat from the collectors to the solar storage tank.
• What type of collectors?
• Flat Plate- Flat plate panels are the tried and true workhorse that have been around for many years and most seasoned solar professionals are familiar with them. These panels work well in a range of conditions. The are best suited for; Domestic hot water (showers, dishes laundry..), Most space heating (in-floor radiant heat, forced air furnaces, and sometimes baseboards)
• Evacuated Tube- Are a higher temperature panels, that also works very well in lower sunlight climates (Germany, Alaska, Seattle). These can also work very well with baseboard heating systems. Most of the evacuated tube systems do need to have extra concern from over-heating in the summer for space heating systems
• Pool Panels-these are the most sold solar panels in the U.S. They are perfect for outdoor seasonal pools. The panels are very economical, and get better day by day with rising natural gas prices.
• What Type of Fluids-Today there are only three types of fluids used in most solar collectors.
• Water, Used primarily in Drainback Systems
• Water/Propylene Glycol Mix, used mostly in Closed Loop Systems.
• Can protect systems from freezing to below -60F
• Air-This is a great fluid for small heating systems (garage, workshop, home)
• Drainback Systems
• These systems are designed and installed carefully such that whenever the systems is not running, all of the fluid in the collectors and piping drains back to a reservoir (drainback tank). This can be a small tank or a large tank. Most of the time these systems use water as their fluid, though they can use a water/propylene glycol mix if needed. These systems are typically the most efficient and require the least maintenance
• Closed Loop Systems
• Also known as pressurized.
• These systems exclusively use a water/propylene glycol mix and are completely filled at all times. These systems are used mostly for domestic hot water heating as well as pool heating systems. They are easier to install than drainback systems, but they do require periodic maintenance.
• Heat out is where the solar storage tank provides the stored energy to a load (hot water heater, home space heating, pool, hot tub, dairy, bottle washing plant, car wash.....anywhere heat is needed!)

Domestic hot water systems for home heating and consumption continue to grow in popularity. If you're ready to put the sun to work for you, request an estimate and send us your information or call us at the contact information provided.
 
 

This is a home near Brighton, Colorado. The system provides space heating through an in-floor radiant heating system and also provides domestic hot water.
 
This system in Golden, Colorado provides space heating through an in-floor radiant heating system as well as domestic hot water. Simply Efficient engineered the entire solar, in-floor and radiant heating and hot water systems. When we are contracted in this way, we can design a super-efficient system that will maximize the use of the solar collectors and minimize the use of fossil fuels.
 
This system is using some of the latest in solar hot water technologies. It is a solar appliance that installs simply and economically. The panels include an overheat protection device to ensure long longevity, they also include covers for between the panels to make for a great finished look. Notice that this system is flush mounted to the roof. Most solar domestic hot water systems can be flush mount to roofs with little or no decrease in output.
 
This mountain home already had a solar hot air unit to heat the garage during the winter. And now we've added a solar thermal system to provide domestic hot water. Note how the installation looks to be an integral component of the home as it's been flush mounted and nicely placed on the garage roof.
 
This clean solar thermal hot water installation in Golden, Colorado left the homeowners very pleased.