| Passive Solar Heating: An Eco-Friendly Choice |
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The people fortunate enough to live in a consistently warm and sunny place like Southern California don't need to worry about their heating costs in the winter. But the rest of us are looking for ways to save energy, thereby saving money. Today, being environmentally conscious is trendy anyway, and you'll save money as well. When thinking about alternative home heating, consider the option of passive solar heating.
The people fortunate enough to live in a consistently warm and sunny place like Southern California don't need to worry about their heating costs in the winter. But the rest of us are looking for ways to save energy, thereby saving money. Today, being environmentally conscious is trendy anyway, and you'll save money as well. When thinking about alternative home heating, consider the option of passive solar heating. Even on the coldest winter days, the sun's heat can be significant. It's only the shortness of the days that keeps the snows from melting. What if you could harness that heating power, even for the short time you get it, without making huge changes to the structure of your home? Passive solar heating works best and most economically in climates with clear skies during the winter and where traditional heating sources are relatively expensive. Passive solar design is very energy efficient and reduces energy demands for lighting, heating and cooling. Here is where the Trombe wall comes in. This wall is made of a thermal mass (such as concrete or stone) that can store the heat built up during the day, and then release it slowly throughout both the night and day. On the outside the wall is insulated by a glass pane and an airspace, thus preventing the loss of heat to the outside during the night. A shade rests above the glass that allows direct light exposure during low winter sun, but acts as a protection during prolonged high summer sun heat, this dual action helps keep cooling bills in the summer low also. It is also possible to use a waterfall instead of masonry which will deliver heat more quickly. This is because heat is transferred much more quickly because of the convection currents in the water. Unless you are doing major renovations to your home, it may not be easy to retrofit your house for passive solar heating. However designing a custom home is very expensive, and so is implementing other energy efficient measures, such as radiant heating. The advantage of passive solar is that once installed, it costs almost nothing to use as opposed to the other alternatives. You should also think about how the Trombe wall was invented in the 19th century, and became popular in the 1960's. This wall has been installed in many existing homes. If you want a new, energy efficient home, you can still consider older designs because they can be green as well. Now that the awareness of green issues is commonplace, people are becoming aware of the costs involved in heating our homes, both financial and environmental. Ideas from our ancestors, both ancient and not so ancient, solutions such as passive solar heating, are being looked at as viable because not only do they have a benefit environmentally, but they save us money as well. About the Author: Two things people seldom consider when it comes to alternative home heating is the use of passive solar heating and Trombe walls. |
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