The post Solar Water Heating Pros and Cons appeared first on Environment News South Africa.
Solar water heaters and geysers are becoming ever more popular in South Africa, as more households move off grid.
But installing a solar geyser can be a big commitment. So let’s break down some of the pros and cons.
Pro: energy usage
The major advantage provided by solar geysers is the one you’re probably already aware of – energy savings.
Up to 40% of the typical South African household’s energy usage goes to water heating. That is an enormous cost, and one that makes solar heating extremely attractive.
Given that solar heating needs little to no electrical input once installed, it’s an obvious choice for reducing the impact of heating water on your monthly electricity bill.
Con: upfront investment
Unfortunately, while solar heating tends to save you money in the long run, it does present an immediate problem.
A solar water heater is typically more complex than an electrical heater. This means that the initial cost of installation can be high.
Consider: installing a solar water heater means the removal or modification of your old geyser, installing the solar heater itself, installing panels to collect solar energy, and the piping needed to connect the two.
This makes solar heating initially an expensive option – although this cost tends to be offset over the life of the geyser.
Pro: environmentally friendly
The biggest factor for most in choosing solar regards cost, which is why we addressed that aspect first.
But honestly, we’re at a point in history in which we have to acknowledge another, incredibly important benefit of solar: its impact on the environment.
As you are no doubt aware, we are at a crucial point in our relationship with our environment. We desperately need to make positive changes to reduce our impact.
Solar geysers are just one of the ways that households can do this, providing a massive ‘saving’ in carbon emissions.
Con: maintenance
Because of their relative complexity and exposure to the elements, solar water heaters necessarily require regular maintenance.
However, this needs to happen less than you’d think: only every three to four years in normal circumstances. If your water supply is classed as hard water, this drops to every two years. Still, hardly a drastic inconvenience.
Our verdict: go solar!
Honestly, the benefits of solar geysers – not only for the individual homeowner, but society at large – are so significant as to completely overshadow the disadvantages.
Over the typical 20 year lifespan of your geyser, it will easily recoup the cost of installation, as well as offset any maintenance.
And the environmental impact cannot be ignored; we are close to a turning point, and everything we can do, individually and as a society, is vital to the long term health of our climate.
The post Solar Water Heating Pros and Cons appeared first on Environment News South Africa.