Is my property suitable for Solar Thermal panels?
There are a number of questions that we need to ask to determine the answer to this question. If you have an un-shaded roof area of around 3-4 sq metres then normally speaking your roof should be suitable for the installation of the panels.
Is My Property Suitable To Have A GSHP Installed?
Almost any property can be suitable for GSHP. Ground Source Heat Pumps draws heat from the ground via a plastic pipe that is buried in the ground in either a horizontal trench or a bore hole. The most suitable depends on the available land area, bore holes are more suitable where space is limited, but are more expensive than trenches. For both horizontal and bore holes there is nothing visible above ground. As an alternative option air source heat pumps are extremely energy efficient and work in a similar way to GSHP, only they take the heat from the air, rather than the ground.
How Much Land / Garden Is Required For A Horizontal Trench?
As a general rule of thumb you will require 3 times as much surface area for the trenches as the total floor area of your property. However this is a general rule and there are exceptions to the rule that can mean that more, or less land is required depending on the application. Typically the plastic pipe will be buried in the ground at a depth of 1 metre.
Are grants available towards the cost of installing Solar Thermal or GSHP?
The DTI Clear Skies program operates a grant system for the installation of Solar Thermal and GSHP. There are a number of conditions which need to be met to achieve the grant and places are restricted. In addition the rules and regulations surrounding the grants appears to change with the wind, please contact us for further details if you are interested in a grant subsidised installation.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels?
Normally planning permission is not required. However we would always recommend that you check with the planning department in your local council if you have any reservations. Listed buildings or buildings in conservation areas may be subject to different planning rules.
Does a roof need to be strengthened to take the extra weight of the Solar Panels?
A typical domestic Solar Thermal installation will weigh in at around 50kgs to 70kgs. Most roofs are designed and built to withstand extra weight caused by snow and rainwater. In comparison to the weight of the roofing materials the extra weight of the Panels is nominal. Generally if the roof is in good condition there is no requirement to strengthen it, prior to mounting solar panels.
Are there different designs of Thermal Solar Panels (Collectors)?
Yes, there are two principal designs available. Flat Plate Panels and Vacuum Tube Panels. Vacuum tube panels are better suited to the UK's climate, due to our extremes of winter and summer and will on average produce more hot water than a flat plate panel.
What about the risk of damage through freezing, during Cold Weather?
We fill all Solar Thermal systems with an antifreeze solution, which has been specifically developed for the use in high performance vacuum tube Solar Thermal systems. This affords protection to minus 28 deg C.
Will we need to replace our current hot water cylinder or boiler?
There is no requirement to change your existing boiler, since Solar Thermal works in tandem with your boiler, supplying it's own independant free hot water to your hot water cylinder regardless of the boiler make or model. There are a number of high efficiency hot water cylinders on the market that are specifically designed to offer optimum efficiency when used in conjunction with Solar Thermal or Heat Pumps, however if required we can utilise your existing hot water cylinder by installing a high efficiency, and relatively inexpensive,
Can I use Solar Thermal with a Mains Pressure Hot Water Cylinder?
You can use a mains pressure hot water system with Solar Thermal. Solar 7 engineers have completed specific training for this application.
Can I heat my property with Evacuated Solar Tube Panels?
Heating your house with Thermal Solar is more complex than just heating hot water. One of the most obvious issues is that you will mostly require space heating during the winter months and at night, when solar energy production is at it's lowest. Solar water heating on the other hand, can be effective even in the winter, as the hot water which has been generated during the day can be stored for use at all times.
If you have any further questions that are not covered in this section, then please feel free to contact us. We will be more than happy to answer your questions. Tel 07970 808044. Enquiries@solar7.co.uk