Riihimaki House

Note: This house is on the 2012 Solar & Green Building Tour. See Tour Details...
 

Solar Space Heating Systems Are Most Suitable for Consumers With High Heating Bills.
 

Solar Space Heating Systems Are Integrated Into an Existing Heating Systems.
 

Heating and Cooling Account for About 56% of the Energy Use in a Typical U.S. Home, Making it the Largest Energy Expense for Most Home Owners.
 

Solar Thermal Technology, Invented in the 1950s, is Well-Proven for Both Residential and Commercial Applications.
 

Solar Space Heating Systems are Highly Durable, with Warranties of 10 years and Expected Operating Lives of Over 20 years.
 

Solar Space Heating Systems Can Be Installed Almost Anywhere in the United States.
 

Solar Space Heating Systems Can Reduce Space Heating, and Potentially Hot Water Costs by up to 70%.
 

• The local climate, the type and efficiency of the collector(s), and the collector area determine how much heat a solar heating system can provide.
• It is most economical to design an active system to provide at least 40% of a home's heating needs. Systems providing less than 40% of the heat needed for a home are rarely cost-effective except when using solar air heater collectors that heat one or two rooms and require no heat storage.
• Designing an active system to supply sufficient heat 100% of the time is generally not practical or cost effective, and most building codes and mortgage lenders require a back-up heating system.
• Supplementary or back-up systems supply heat when the solar system cannot meet heating requirements. They can range from a wood stove to a conventional central heating system, and anything in-between.
• The economics of an active space heating system improve if it also heats water, because a collector that would otherwise be idle can heat water in the summer.
• Solar heating systems are most cost-effective when they are used throughout the year, which typically means in colder climates with lots of sun.

Heating Your Home With an Active Solar Heating System can Significantly Reduce Your Fuel Bills in the Winter.
 

• Solar heating systems are the most economical if they are displacing more expensive heating fuels, such as electricity, propane, and oil.

Solar Space Heating Systems Reduce the Amount of Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases That Result From Burning Fossil Fuels Such as Oil, Propane, and Natural Gas for Heating.

Solar Space Heating Systems Work Best With the Following Types of Systems:
 

• radiant floor heating,
• forced hot water radiators (baseboard),
• and forced air systems.

Annual Returns on Investment Can Range From 10% to 40% Based on Individual Consumption Patterns.