Solar Home Heating

Consider installing heat pump instead of air-conditioner

Dear Jim: My central air-conditioner is 16 years old, noisy and probably inefficient. I want to replace it with a quiet, efficient model. What are the best ones available for 2011 and which provide the best comfort? -- Mike J.

Dear Mike: If your central air-conditioner is that old, any new model you install will be much quieter and more efficient. Depending upon its condition, your old one likely has an SEER (seasonal energy-efficiency ratio) of less than 10. The most efficient new ones are as high as 24.5 SEER, which would cut your cooling costs by 60% or more.

As with most products, higher-efficiency models that provide the greatest savings also cost the most to install. Always ask your contractor to provide payback analyses on several models of various efficiencies. With this information and other intangible factors such as comfort, conservation and environmental concerns, etc., you can make your decision.

While you are getting quotations, also consider installing a heat pump instead of just a central air-conditioner. Their cooling efficiencies are only slightly less and installing one may also cut your winter heating bills even if you have a gas furnace.

Nordyne ( www.frigidaire.net ) makes one of the most efficient designs of central air-conditioners using a variable-speed rotary compressor. It offers up to 24.5 SEER with a cooling output ranging from about 25% to 100% of maximum. It uses inverter technology to control the speed of the compressor efficiently and thus the cooling output.

In addition to the super-high efficiency, the variable output can greatly improve comfort and indoor air quality. The computerized matching thermostat and controls are constantly varying the compressor speed to target the cooling output to the instantaneous cooling needs of your house.

When the cooling needs, as on a mild day, are not great, the compressor runs slower and quieter, but longer than a simple single-stage cooling model. This not only maintains constant room temperature, but provides precise humidity control for comfort. A single-stage model, unless it has a variable-speed blower motor, can make a house feel cool, but damp.

Another option that provides good comfort and high efficiency uses two-stage cooling instead of completely variable output. The lower output is often 60% to 70% of maximum. Most major companies offer these two-stage models, and many use quiet scroll compressors.

Lennox now offers its best two-stage model with a solar feature, SunSourceT. It is designed to be connected to from one to 15 independent solar panels. Depending upon the climate, as few as six panels can completely power the air-conditioner.

Cost of Solar Energy | Stardust Homes

Article by Parry P

Solar energy is a natural source of energy that comes directly from the sun. When solar energy hits the earth it spreads over the earth’s surface and provides warmth evenly. If you could capture the sun’s rays into a particular area for a long period of time it would provide enough warmth for nighttime or on cloudy days. Learning where to find solar energy can help you to get started today. Solar energy does not cost anything because it comes from the sun. The source that you choose may cost some but in the long run it should be your only expense, unlike gas or oil heaters that you continue to pay for monthly in order to have power or gas heat in your home. Solar power can provide heating, cooling and ventilation.

If you want to make your own solar power to capture the energy for heating its easy to do if you can find a solar collector, which is anything that attracts the heat from the sun in a concentrated amount, such as glass or clear plastic. Getting into your car that has sat out in the hot sun all day long can be extremely hot and you have to roll down your windows to cool it off inside. That is because the glass has attracted the sun and the objects in your car, including your seats, have trapped the heat not allowing it to escape. When you roll your windows down you are allowing the heat to escape causing your car to cool down. The same thing is true about greenhouses. The glass or clear plastic can attract the sun and not allow it to escape causing the greenhouse to maintain the heat for the plants to grow effectively.

In order to heat your home using solar energy, you need to know the information on a passive and an active home. These two types of solar homes offer the homeowner options to choose from and your cost of heating may be down. Solar energy does not only heat your home but it also heats your water and if you use solar energy lights it can light your home at night.

Passive homes do not use any equipment to heat the home. Passive homes use windows that are made to allow the maximum amount of sunlight into your home. The sunlight is controlled by keeping the doors closed in the hottest part of the day not allowing any heat to escape. At night thick curtains may be used on these windows so that the warmth stays inside during the night. This allows the sun to naturally heat your home without any help.

Active homes do use equipment to help circulate the heat in the home. Some of the equipment that may be used includes pumps, blowers and an alternative heating source in case the sunlight was not enough during the daytime. In order to heat the home with sunlight these homes use special boxes on the outside that attract the sunrays to it. They are made from a dark colored metal to help attract the sun more. The water or air that is carried in the pipes and ductwork is heated by this glass box that has captured the sunlight. Then the heated water or air is then carried to the rest of the home.

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