Most of us don't live in Southern California where they have climate instead of weather. Because of that our winter heating costs can be astronomical. Who doesn't want to save energy and money? You get the cachet of energy efficiency in these green-conscious times and you save a little extra money to use however you want. One thing people seldom consider when it comes to alternative home heating is the use of passive solar heating.
A fair bit of solar energy hits the surface of the earth, even in the depth of winter. The surface temperature would actually rise much higher were the days of the same length as in the summer. Imagine the possibilities of collecting power every minute the sun is available. Even better, what if no major alterations to your house would be required?
Passive solar design is a holistic approach integrating the home's architecture, materials and mechanical systems. It will consider the local climate conditions, including temperature, solar radiation and wind, to create energy conserving structures that can be powered with renewable energy sources.
There is an answer to some of the heating costs. It's called the Trombe wall. It is made of material that is used for thermal mass, usually stone or concrete. It is insulated with glass and an airspace to help keep the heat in at night. There is also a shade that lets direct low winter sun enter, but keeps the glass from being heated too much from the high summer sun to help keep your cooling costs down.
It is also possible to use a waterfall instead of masonry which will deliver heat more quickly. This is because heat is transferred much more quickly because of the convection currents in the water.
Unless you are doing major renovations to your home, it may not be easy to retrofit your house for passive solar heating. However designing a custom home is very expensive, and so is implementing other energy efficient measures, such as radiant heating. The advantage of passive solar is that once installed, it costs almost nothing to use as opposed to the other alternatives.
Consider also the fact that the concept of the Trombe wall is a 19th century invention that was popularized in the 1960's and so has been designed into a number of existing homes. So when you're looking for that new, energy efficient home, know that designs of yesteryear can still be green.
The ideas being pushed in the mainstream do work, but people have been looking for ways to save money for years. It's just now that people are becoming more environmentally conscious and the cost of heating has risen so much that we are starting to look back at the clever solutions like passive solar heating that our ancestors used to save scarce resources, and use them instead to help save the planet.
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Two things people seldom consider when it comes to alternative home heating is the use of passive solar heating and Trombe walls.
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