| Given energy concerns these days, most homes | | | | heat. While this may sound complex, it really is |
| are now designed to take advantage of passive | | | | not. The materials include items such as bricks, tile |
| solar heating concepts. Solar thermal is a big part | | | | and masonry. Adobe and clay materials also |
| of this process. | | | | function well in certain situations. |
| How Thermal Mass Works In Your Home | | | | In a passive solar home, you need the thermal |
| Getting a little free heating can go a long way on | | | | mass in the interior of the home. Strategically |
| your utility bill, particularly over the life of a | | | | placing tile and brick in areas below windows that |
| structure. Passive solar heating is the | | | | receive significant sun during the day will often do |
| methodology used to achieve this goal. It is a | | | | the trick. Depending on your heating needs, the |
| process wherein a home is built or upgraded in | | | | amount of thermal mass you use will vary. In |
| such a way as to catch and contain as much of | | | | colder climates, it should be used in bulk while |
| the sunlight in the form of heat as possible. To | | | | homes in Arizona need only nominal amounts. |
| effectively use solar for heating, thermal mass is | | | | One common misunderstanding regarding thermal |
| a subject you need to understand. | | | | materials refers to their color. Logically, it would |
| Thermal mass simply refers to any material that | | | | seem to make sense that the materials need to |
| absorbs and stores heat. In this case, we are | | | | be dark since dark colors absorb more heat. This |
| obviously talking about material that stores the | | | | is not particularly true in passive solar. It is the |
| heat inherent in sunlight and disperses it at a later | | | | material, not the color, that makes the difference. |
| time once the sunlight is no longer hitting it. You | | | | Bricks can be just about any light color, but not |
| may not realize it, but your home already has | | | | white. This may sound insignificant, but it can be a |
| thermal mass producing heat. Any material | | | | major benefit if you want to avoid a dark, |
| exposed to the sun, furniture, floors and such, | | | | gloomy interior in your home. |
| acts as thermal mass. Unfortunately, it is usually | | | | If you are trying to harness the power of the |
| on a pretty small scale. | | | | sun for heating purposes, you need to get a good |
| Often called intentional thermal mass, a passive | | | | grasp of the thermal products you will use. This |
| solar home will have strategically placed materials | | | | should give you a head start. |
| that are very efficient at absorbing and radiating | | | | |