What are the benefits of solar?
What are the savings I will get from solar?
Will we always have hot water?
How can I further increase my energy savings?
What maintenance is required?
Which solar plate suits me best? Flat plate or Evacuated tube?
Do I need a permit or building consent?
What is the difference between open loop and closed loop system
What other ways can solar energy improve the quality of the energy we use?
What are the benefits of solar?
Solar water heating systems provide you with several benefits over gas & electric water heaters. You will reduce your hot water heating costs. You will also be directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, CO², released into the atmosphere), thereby contributing to a healthier environment. With gas & electricity prices raising it makes sense to install a Calpak solar water heating system.
What are the savings I will get from solar?
The energy you can expect to save by switching to solar water heating depends on several factors such as the size of your collectors and storage tank, appliance efficiency, amount of sunlight in your region and very importantly, the amount of water you use. A typical solar water heating system will reduce hot water costs by 50 to 75%.
Will we always have hot water?
Calpak solar water heating systems are well suited for the New Zealand climate because they produce energy when the outside temperature is below freezing. They also have mechanisms that protect them from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer. Calpak systems have an electrical backup to ensure there is always a supply of hot water.
How can I further increase my energy savings?
By timing your heavy hot water usage, you can increase the energy savings from your solar water heater. For example, by washing your clothes early between 9:00am to 3:00pm, you can maximize the energy savings benefits of your solar water heater. As well, you will give the system a chance to recharge during the rest of the day.
What Maintenance is required?
Routines checks and maintenance will ensure your savings are consistent. There are three easy ways to verify that your system is running well:
1. Look to see that the pump is operating when it is sunny.
2. Check carefully that the pipes are warm.
3. Review your energy bills to confirm your savings.
To ensure the water heater is collecting solar energy when the checks are made, complete the checks on a sunny day just after you use some hot water. Maintenance of a Calpak solar hot water system should be carried out according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Which Solar collector suits me best? Flat plate or Evacuated tube?
There is a lot of misinformation as to which collector is better; at Solapac we stock both Flat Plate & Evacuated Tube collectors. Both products are high performance collectors designed to suit the New Zealand climate. Annually, the difference in your energy savings between the two types of collectors is minimal if not the same. It really is personal preference, budget and site conditions.
Solapac will advise you on the correct system to suit your needs.
Do I need a permit or building consent?
If you are building new, then consent should be part of your building permit when you submit your plans specifying a Calpak solar water heating system for approval. For existing homes we recommend getting a consent which we are happy to assist with.
What is the difference between an open loop and a closed loop system?
What other ways can solar energy improve the quality of the energy we use?
Solar pool heating is an excellent alternative for heating a pool. The pool season coincides with the optimal time of the year for making use of solar energy and the Texsun solar pool collector’s unique X-Flow system has one of the highest heat efficiencies and shortest heating times on the market.
