| On the subject of solar heat, home heating | | | | the hotter parts of the summertime... you see, |
| systems that utilize this resource can come in | | | | sunlight can light up a room enough even with the |
| many forms, but are generally grouped into two | | | | curtains closed, depending on the type of curtains |
| major categories; active and passive solar heat. | | | | - but if they're wide open, you'll definitely need to |
| Home owners who wish to convert their homes | | | | use your air-conditioner. The efficiency of |
| for using this constantly renewable resource of | | | | windows these days makes them, in a very |
| energy and those who wish to build a new home | | | | practical sense, heat lenses, and quite literally so. |
| are recently becoming more interested in using | | | | With the curtains closed (and perhaps the |
| the power of the sun due to the fact that this | | | | windows open a bit for circulation), even if you |
| technology has taken great leaps in efficiency | | | | need a little extra artificial lighting, the rooms will |
| since its initial spurt of popularity back in the | | | | stay cool enough to not need air-conditioning, |
| early-mid seventies. What are some of the ways | | | | which would cost more to use than an artificial |
| in which we can apply this technology to our | | | | light. Keep this well in mind for good energy |
| homes? Let's go over these categories and learn | | | | conservation efficiency. A window opened up and |
| a bit about the techniques used... | | | | a window shade pulled down to meet the opening |
| Fist off, let's look at passive solar heating for | | | | should be enough shielding and circulation while |
| homes, and how it's generally done. While it used | | | | letting in the light. |
| to be a good idea to have most windows facing | | | | For active solar heating, homes using solar panels |
| the path of the sun in order to passively heat the | | | | are much more efficient than they were decades |
| home to some degree, now, with even more | | | | ago. A solar home roof equipped with photovoltaic |
| advanced window production (double and triple | | | | cells is not nearly as expensive as they used to |
| paned types, vacuum and/or special gas | | | | be in days long past. It used to be that a few |
| impregnated, etc.), this passive solar heating | | | | 2x5 foot panels installed on a roof would cost |
| arrangement is quite super-charged. I'm generally | | | | upwards of $12,000 or so, which would power |
| speaking about nothing very special here - most | | | | most appliances, or perhaps all, in a small home. |
| "replacement windows" companies (if not all these | | | | These days, many are building their own from |
| days) construct their windows in such a fashion, | | | | cheaply procured components, a single of the |
| for purposes of insulation and reaping the benefits | | | | above-mentioned panels costing less that one or |
| of the sun. Just about any set of windows of this | | | | two hundred dollars for the parts to build it with, |
| type is efficient enough to build a "passive solar | | | | and each of these panels, depending on the |
| house" using this technique. | | | | builder's skill, can power an air-conditioner, home |
| This is actually so efficient now, that it's best for | | | | PC, and entertainment center all on just one. |
| your electricity bill to keep the curtains closed in | | | | |