Category Archives: Solar Heating

Solar Heating – Residential Solar Furnace

Energy Efficiency, Green Energy, Solar Furnace, Solar Heating

Well we installed our solar heating panels. The company that installed them was Rural Renewable Energy Alliance. They are located in Pine River, Minnesota. They can be found here www.rreal.org

Before our decision was made to install the panels a complete site survey was done to measure my homes solar exposure. The panels are installed on the south-facing side of the structure. Two advantages to this 1) The panels do not affect the way you roof line looks and 2) The side wall installation takes advantage of the winter’s low sun angle. It really maximizes the suns solar heat input.

Here is where the panels will be installed.

Solar heating, solar funrnace
This is the south-facing side of my home.

The company will install two panels that will be connected to share air flow.

There is some prep work that must be done to my home to allow the installation of the panels on the exterior. All siding must be removed where the panels will be installed.

 

solar furnace, solar residential heating, solar heating
The siding is being removed from my home.

 

The siding is removed to reveal the backer board. The panels must be flush against the backer board and must be air tight for correct draw of air from the home.

Solar heating, solar furnace, solar heating, residential solar heating
The siding is removed to match the dimension of the solar furnace panels.

 

 

Next up…..Preparing the panels for installation.

Should We Install A Residential Solar Heating System?

Solar Heating in Minnesota?

It Gets Cold Here…!!!!

Land of the Vikings…..

..and Ice Fishing

Typical suburban home in the upper midwest.

I live in a typical suburban neighborhood in a cold…..a very cold climate.  Our heating season is usually 8 months long.  We currently have a forced air natural gas furnace.

For a long time I have been interested in an alternate heating source for my home.  We do not have a fireplace, so wood is out of the question.

I recently learned about alternative heating sources that use solar energy to generate heat….not electricity.  These systems are commonly called Solar Furnaces.  They are simply solar panels that collect heat.  They use a fan and duct work to push warm air into your home.

We have decided to go forward and have a solar furnace installed on our home.  It is my hope that we will get supplemental heat pushed into our home during the winter heating season.

I have realistic expectations that the Solar Furnace will not replace the need for our forced air natural gas furnace.  My expectation is that we will be able to push enough heat into our home from the Solar Furnace that the gas unit will not have to start-up until late in the evening.

I’ll chronicle the installation of the Solar Furnace and its use.

Natural gas prices are at their all time lowest now, but who knows what will happen to the cost of natural gas in the future.

Any extra heat we can get is a bonus for this family from Minnesota.

 

My 2 is 1 – Travel Through Life Prepared

2 is 1 and 1 is none

My 2 is 1 is a site dedicated to all things that are important for family living.

2 is 1 and 1 is none means; if an item is important you better have two of them.  Members of your family must know what they’re used for and how to use them.

Things break, they get lost, and Murphy’s law exists.  Take care of yourself and your family by always being prepared.

That is something I learned at an early age in the Scouts and camping with my family.  The concept was reinforced in outdoor survival schools I attended.  Now as a husband, father, and neighbor I believe the concept is very valid for living in modern times.