Any cheap ways to convert to solar heating (or other sustainable living ways...)

[Reaper]

Recently I've been thinking about switching my house from being purely oil heated to relying on solar passive heating, or something similar. However, to install a full blown system costs a considerable amount of money, too high an investment for me right now. Are there any very cheap ways to do it? Even if it means relying a lot less on that gas heater of mine rather then eliminating it all together. Most of my house already faces the south side, and there is lots of wall space to put larger windows, so it's not so much of a problem to actually change it around a little....

[ecoli]

You should look into seeing if your state has incentives (tax rebates, etc).

 

In my state, if you were to install panels yourself, you'd get a significant tax rebate, plus, with the amount you save on your energy bill, you wind up saving money, if you have the money to invest up front. I know this family nearby who gets a negative energy bill, because their solar panels feed into the energy grid.

 

The rules can be strange, so if you're going to do it, make sure you get all the information straight. For some reason, New York will only give you the rebates if you buy new and approved panels, (not used or older models).

[CaptainPanic]

The best option also depends a lot on your location.

 

Is there any wind, lots of sun? I can imagine that a bit of solar power is relatively cheap in New Mexico, or Spain, but won't do much good in Alaska or Norway.

 

I think that making hot water with a solar boiler is generally quite cheap, and relatively easy to integrate into your system (especially if you already have a water system with a boiler).

[insane_alien]

my room has no heating whatsoever. just great wads of insulation. it's even quite isolated againstthe rest of the house. i do have a big window though, its one of those velux ones that is sloped with the roof. it also has a blackout blind that is unfortunately stuck halfway down.

 

it keeps my room warm, if i don't open the window and keep my door shut i can get the room up to around 40*C in winter(a scottish winter at that). don't want to try it in summer. i can't stand more than 25*C for long anyway unless i have no choice in the matter.

[Phi for All]

Friends used to have an enclosed patio that wasn't part of their forced-air heating system. They had a large cylinder made of glass or clear plastic that was filled with water (it must have held about 15-20 gallons). They put food coloring in the water for effect and it looked quite decorative but basically the water would heat up from the sun shining on the patio all day, then radiate that warmth for a good part of the evening. Very passive but very cheap.

[Rev Blair]

http://www.cansolair.com/

 

These work well if you have a southern exposure you can attach them too.

 

You can buy one of these for a couple of grand or make your own. The aluminum tubes are just pop or beer cans joined together and painted with heat-absorbing black paint. There are manifolds at the top and bottom that can be made from slightly larger aluminum.

 

Mount the whole thing in a wooden box (be sure to caulk the seams) with a lexan cover.

 

To attach it to your house, you'll want to drill on hole just above baseboard level and one near the ceiling.

 

It works on convection and is independent of your existing heating system, so you don't need electrical connections and so on. If you want to attach a fan though, a small 12v DC fan connected to a thermostat can be installed.

[SH3RL0CK]

Consider creative landscaping. Large windows combined with deciduous trees to assist cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. This shouldn't cost too much.

[Rev Blair]

Building and landscaping can make a huge difference.

 

With windows, pull the shades or curtains during the day in summer, and at night in the winter.

 

With trees, if you have a big lot, consider planting evergreens on the north side of your house.

 

If you are building fences, garages, sheds, etc. keep the prevailing weather in mind. They can help to provide shade and block wind.

 

Get water barrels under your eavestrough (I think you Americans call them gutters) outlets. Capture the rain that lands on your roof and use it to water your plants. The plants like it better, you save money and energy.

 

If you need a new water heater, consider an in-line model. These don't work very well if you have a deep, cold well, or if your water is piped a long way underground, but for most people they are quite usable. An in-line heater means that you aren't paying to heat 40 gallons of water 24 hours a day.

[iNow]

If you need a new water heater, consider an in-line model. These don't work very well if you have a deep, cold well, or if your water is piped a long way underground, but for most people they are quite usable. An in-line heater means that you aren't paying to heat 40 gallons of water 24 hours a day.

 

These are also referred to as "tankless" or "on-demand" water heaters.

[Pantaz]

You may find some helpful ideas on makezine.com and instructables.com

[ecoli]

We've been thinking about getting a hot water heater. Though the things themselves seem to be more expensive than necessary.

 

I wonder how impossible it would be to engineer one, using a capillary tubes cover by a clear plexiglass topping. The hardest part, I think would be connecting it to the water supply (though I'd probably have a plumber do that bit) and also keeping the oil heater as the backup auxilliary heater, and convincing it to kick in when the solar heater isn't doing the trick, like at night.