sohw:solar_hot_water

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sohw:solar_hot_water [2025/12/17 19:18] – asimongsohw:solar_hot_water [2025/12/22 10:47] (current) – dave
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 ## What can I do? ## What can I do?
  
-Make sure your home is well-[insulated](/insu/insulation), in good [repair](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/repairs-maintenance/) and [dry](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/understanding-damp/) before thinking about renewable energy systems. First, learn as much as you can. Here's a free pdf of our book, _[Solar Hot Water: Choosing, Fitting and Using a System](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/solar-hot-water-text.pdf)._ This was published in 2012, and so some parts will be out of date - but it still contains a lot of useful info.+Make sure your home is well-[insulated](/insu/insulation), in good [repair](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/repairs-maintenance/) and [dry](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/understanding-damp/) before thinking about renewable energy systems. First, learn as much as you can. 
  
 A solar hot water system is for delivering hot water to your taps, shower and washing machine / dishwasher. It could be used for supporting space heating, but those types of systems are significantly more expensive and make specific requirements of your house – for example, it needs to be super-insulated and you need more panels. A solar hot water system is for delivering hot water to your taps, shower and washing machine / dishwasher. It could be used for supporting space heating, but those types of systems are significantly more expensive and make specific requirements of your house – for example, it needs to be super-insulated and you need more panels.
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-Solar hot water works well in combination with a [wood stove](/wstov/wood_stoves) with a back boiler. This way the solar panels will provide all your hot water in the summer, and the wood stove all your hot water in the winter. Then you’ll have year-round hot water from renewables. This will involve installing a triple-coil cylinder (or having another coil installed in your twin-coil cylinder) if you intend to keep your existing boiler, or a twin-coil cylinder if you don’t. More information about this can be found in our _[Heating with Wood](/wstov/wood_stoves)_ book.+Solar hot water works well in combination with a [wood stove](/wdst/wood_stoves) with a back boiler. This way the solar panels will provide all your hot water in the summer, and the wood stove all your hot water in the winter. Then you’ll have year-round hot water from renewables. This will involve installing a triple-coil cylinder (or having another coil installed in your twin-coil cylinder) if you intend to keep your existing boiler, or a twin-coil cylinder if you don’t. 
  
 Modern systems are automated. You don’t have to decide when to switch them on and off – it does it for you. You don’t have to re-set any clocks after power cuts; and you don’t have to change how and when you use hot water (although if you do, you may get more benefits from your system – for example, if you change from having a shower in the morning to the evening). Modern systems are automated. You don’t have to decide when to switch them on and off – it does it for you. You don’t have to re-set any clocks after power cuts; and you don’t have to change how and when you use hot water (although if you do, you may get more benefits from your system – for example, if you change from having a shower in the morning to the evening).
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 Your installer will leave you with a little checklist to go through every couple of months, just to make sure everything is working properly (if you install yourself, you’ll know what these are). It might be a good idea to have a full maintenance check every 5 years or so. Your installer will leave you with a little checklist to go through every couple of months, just to make sure everything is working properly (if you install yourself, you’ll know what these are). It might be a good idea to have a full maintenance check every 5 years or so.
  
-See [here](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/solar-hot-water/further-info) for more detailed info on getting and using a solar hot water system.+## Further resources
  
 +- [Solar Hot Water: Choosing, Fitting and Using a System](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/solar-hot-water-text.pdf) - free book, published in 2012, and so some parts will be out of date - but it still contains a lot of useful info.
 +- [Science Direct](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/evacuated-tube-collector) - articles on solar thermal, including evacuated tubes
 +- [Solar Energy UK](https://solarenergyuk.org/) - trade association
 +- [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-water-heating/) - advice on solar water heating
 +- [Centre for Alternative Technology](https://cat.org.uk/info-resources/free-information-service/energy/solar-water-heating/) - solar water heating advice
  
 ## Specialist curators of this topic ## Specialist curators of this topic
  
  
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