Solar water heating

With most things in life you get what you pay for. Solar thermal heating is no exception. There are cheap Chinese systems available now, these are adequate and will do the job, but they are more likely to have problems with loss of vacuum (in the vacuum tubes) and lower efficiencies than other more recognised brands. So take your time in choosing the system that is right for you and that you can afford.

There are a growing number of companies offering solar panels, some are genuine, but there are some sharks out there, most notably those who pop fliers through your door. These are generic panels that are not tailor made for your situation. We recently heard of a elderly lady who had ordered one because she met a friendly and convincing sales rep at her door. For a mere £ 6,000 she could save up to 20% on her bills etc. In reality she lived on her own, had an electric shower, washed up once a day and had gas heating. This is terrible and we would never condone this type of action for a number of obvious reasons. We managed to help her neighbour cancel the order, but it was a close call for a person who was being mis-sold a product. So always check the reference of a company installing a system.

We are not fans of 'pay-back' times with this type of technology for a number of reasons, not least of which is that it adds value to your home, so generally you will get your investment back at some point, but you get to enjoy cheaper bills whilst living in the house.

One of our board members runs a solar company and is happy to advise on the right system for you and also reputable manufacturers. So please feel free to contact Mike Dowell at Micaul Solar.

Other suppliers can be found in our local professional section of the website.

The important element that people tend to overlook is the control systems associated with thermal solar. You need to ensure that the panel is allowed to do its work before any supplementary systems kick in like boilers etc, so make sure you ask about this and how it integrates with your other heating system.