Solar Water Heating Radiant Floor Superinsulated House

Normally a large solar heated storage tank with electric gas or oil backup supplies hot water to the radiant system and most often provides for domestic needs as well.

Solar water heating radiant floor superinsulated house.

Passive solar design takes advantage of a building s site climate and materials to minimize energy use. Earlier solar heating systems would first heat a storage tank and then distribute the stored heat with radiant heating tubes. When solar energy is used directly to provide radiant heat the radiant floor system cannot be used by the backup heating system as this use would compromise the solar storage. This is the best case because it means you can use solar for all of your heating needs.

At the very least radiant heating reduces your carbon footprint. Ideal for boosting passive house heating in cold climate zones. The solar system can directly offset a portion of the fuel required to heat the water for the radiant floor system by at least 30 when compared to conventional forced air systems. Hydronic radiant floor heating.

If you have a hydronic radiant in floor heating system your solar hot water can then be used to heat your home. You can use any type of water heating system with a radiant floor system but the capacity of hot water that you use goes up dramatically with a radiant heat floor system. Many hydronic systems use the same system to heat both the fluid for the in floor heat and your hot water supply. After considering the pros and cons of the very popular ductless minisplit the author decided a hydronic radiant floor heating system was a better choice.

Both the solar system and the radiant floor systems are environmentally friendly due to the saving they provide in the consumption of fossil fuels. What kent earle ended up with. Read all about it. So the attraction of a solar system also goes up dramatically because you get much cheaper hot water per btu.

Ecohome is in the process of building our next demonstration low energy house and to do so we have partnered. Solar water heaters are commonly used as heat sources for radiant floor systems in regions where an abundant solar resource is available. A well designed passive solar home first reduces heating and cooling loads through energy efficiency strategies and then meets those reduced loads in whole or part with solar energy.