Would it be feasible to use Solar Energy to heat your home?

Question

I am doing a project in school and i was just hoping to get some peoples' opinions on this question. But please take it seriously because you (could) impact my grade.

Answer 1

Yes, it would be...only if the cost came down a bit; solar panels are still very expensive. In just a few years, technology should have made some breakthroughs in that area, resulting in more affordable prices. Some Scandinavian and Northern European countries are presently working on just that! A breakthrough should soon be forthcoming. There are good news ahead, along with OTHER alternatives!

Answer 2

Solar energy to heat a home is extremely feasible for some homes. In fact for most home owners, solar thermal energy (heat) is more economical than solar electric power.

You need to have good sun exposure on a side of your house that you would be willing to use to mount the large thermal solar panels. You also need to have enough sunlight in colder months to generate a usable amount of heat.

I've included a few links below to get you started.... Good luck!

Timothy D.

West Melbourne, FL

Answer 3

Absolutely it is possible....in fact it's being done already. I would google "solar energy homes" and you'll probably find more than you can use.  Good luck!

Answer 4

passive solar. solar water heaters. check out earthship homes. Mother Earth news has tons of information. When all else fails use a fireplace. The co2 given off is less than if the wood rotted in the forest. So a good hot fire is better than mother nature can do.

Answer 5

Not only in theory but in practice not only in summer but in winter. In Popular Mechanics I read an article of a family that used solar heating and it worked in the winter. They went "off the grid" before it was completed too... ouch cold showers in the winter... such self sacrifice.

The system is that they use something to gather the little bit of sun in the winter and "store" the heat in water that is insulated etc. Search for the concept at popular mechanics website and use it for your report.

Answer 6

In some states yes it is very feasible to use solar energy to heat homes.  In others such as Alaska where there is limited day light during the winter months then no it would not be such a great idea,

Answer 7

i am installing a system that heats the house with solar thermal right now.  we use 3 solar thermal panels, run the lines down to a 108 gallon storage tank.  we tie our storage tank into the existing hot water heater.  then we tie in the upper heat exchanger in the storage tank to a hot water coil in the hvac duct to heat the air passing through the furnace.  the customer in this particular install is being charged $11,000 before tax breaks.  after tax breaks they will pay about $6,000.   this method is much cheaper than radiant floor heat, as mentioned in a comment above.  pv systems are so expensive they arent worth mentioning in residential, in my opinion.  some want them no matter what.

Answer 8

I have thought of when I built a house to have a green house attached. Say when the green house reaches say 80 degrees, exhuast fans would move the heat through the house. While an additional fan at the lowest place would move cooler air back into the green house. Of couse this would only work during the day light hours.

Answer 9

Yes, it can be as simple as a sun room or windows on the south side of your home that takes advantage of sunny days, or it can be a complex as using solar collectors on the roof that have water circulating through them which is heated by the sun and circulated through your home.

The cost effectiveness of the system depends on how many cloudy days you have in your area, and the cost of power. Of course any system must have some back-up system for heat because even in the best areas, the sun doesn't always shine.

Answer 10

IF the home is located where there is enough hours of sunlight then the answer is a resounding YES.

You should not confine your project to just active solar features like solar panels for creating electricity or heating water that flows through it.  You should also consider passive features like placing closets on an outside wall for additional insulation effects, glassed solariums that collect direct solar rays on rock walls/floors and release that heat back into the home's interior through the evening, orientation of the home in relation to the sun's path, etc.

Just Google "active solar" and "passive solar" and you should find more than enough ideas to make a great project.

Tailor it to your location, including how many hours of daylight you can expect AND allowing consideration for historical overcast periods (when the weather doesn't let the sun's rays get through to the home).

Answer 11

Define feasible?  It's POSSIBLE, but it's not easy for the average person because it requires major installations that are very expensive.

Solar Energy from normal panels creates electricity, but heating a home isn't done with electricity.  Heat in homes comes from burning gas. Instead of regular panels, there are "hot water panels" where the panels are filled with water (instead of with silicon) and are heated by the sun.  Then it goes through a system in the flooring, releasing the heat and warming the house as the heat rises.

Again, extremely expensive and not feasible at current prices for the average person.

Answer 12

Well think it over. You get sun in summer, summer is pretty hot where i live.

Winter lacks sun,which means your house would be freezing.

Answer 13

It's being done now.  http://mb-soft.com/solar/index.html

Answer 14

yes it is feasible if you live in the hot states and it is already been done

Answer 15

It's an economical way to heat up your home and environmental friendly.

Answer 16

my brother has built an 'earthship' from recycled tires. His home is in west-central MICHIGAN. He has some riends that are totally solar, though not in the same neighborhood.

Answer 17

Yes it would be feasable.  You would have to live in the Death Valley area of California.  It would heat just fine during the day.  It still gets cold there at night, so you would have to store up some energy in batteries to run the heater at night.