Solar

Solar water heating has proven to be the most efficient and sustainable method of water heating. This is due to its energy being gathered from a free, reliable resource, the Sun. Solar thermal technology transforms direct and diffuse solar radiation into useful heat using a solar collector. An appropriate sized solar collector would be capable of reducing your hot water costs by over 60%, while virtually making your boiler/heat pump redundant during the summer months.

Solar collectors are positioned on the south facing roof of the dwelling which utilizes the available solar radiation, and reduces the hot water demand. The collectors are connected to to hot water cylinder indirectly via a solar pumping station. Due to the untrustworthy nature of the Irish climate, additional heating would be required via an immersion and boiler/heat pump.

There are two main types of solar collectors available on the market today;

Flat Plate

Flat plate collectors are seen to be the most attractive collectors on the market, as they can be incorporated within the roof structure and could be passed off as a large Velux window. Flat plate collectors have proven to be more robust than an evacuated tube system, and as a result would be well suited in areas susceptible to high wind speeds.

Here at AHAC we offer our customers the Roth Heliostar Collectors. These panels are constructed of high performance, weather proof and heat resistant poly-carbonate.

Evacuated Tube

Evacuated tube collectors are the most commonly used collector on the market. This is due to the ability to install evacuated tubes with ease after construction is complete. This is carried out using a sophisticated mounting frame to attach the tubes to the existing roof without causing damage. Evacuated tubes are generally 30% more effective than their flat plate companions and tend to work better in cold, humid environments such as Ireland. However the cost could be up to 20-40% more expensive than flat plate collectors.

Over the years our staff have gained experience with a wide variety of evacuated tube manufacturers and suppliers.

 

 

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