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Green HVAC Heating and Cooling Solar Technologies

Solar Heating and Cooling systems have been around for a long time, their use in Europe and other countries is wide spread in comparison to the United States. The U.S. has taken a long time to adopt these technologies but the trends are on the increase.

Solar Home Design

Solar heating and cooling systems have a relatively high initial cost when compared to more conventional methods so it makes sense to take whatever measures available to reduce the size of the solar requirements. Insulation and weatherization of the home or building must be as effective as possible and meet the highest energy efficiency standards possible. This will reduce the overall load that must be accounted for when designing the solar system and reduce it’s size considerably.

Logically the sun has limits for when it can actually produce the energy so almost any solar system is basically an auxiliary or supplemental system only. Unless you have an extensive amount of storage space for the heat that is gathered, in the form of water tanks usually but this can also be concrete, rocks and anything that absorbs and holds onto heat or even batteries, you will not be able to count on that system continuously.

There are basically four uses or sources of energy for solar technology and two types;

Photovoltaic Solar Cells

Obviously there is electricity through solar cells or solar voltaic panels also known as photovoltaic, this energy can be used directly or stored to heat or cool any facility as well as provide power. Batteries are used to store the energy and are limited in their capacity so normally you would not want to place a high load such as heating or cooling on this storage method. The panels can also be set up to back feed to the utility and depending on the agreement credits or even rebates can be gained. The cost of photovoltaic technologies is slowly catching up with demand but the payback is still fairly high and in some cases can extend as far as 30 to 50 years or more.

Of the remaining three uses two are highly viable alternatives and the third is usually the least cost effective. Space heating and water heating are the most effective uses for solar energy and while there are two different types of solar heat, passive and active, the gains for both are worthwhile for consideration for energy savings. Space cooling or water cooling through solar energy is the least effective, there are passive methods that technically use solar energy in some cases but these are generally designed into the building and have limitations much greater than solar heating.

Solar Hot Water Collectors

Passive systems basically use no energy, they are driven by natural conveyance usually convection in the case of air or pressure differential in the case of water. Active systems will use some sort of energy for the process to work, usually in the form of pumps or fans and controls to manage the flow of the air or water. Passive systems are usually much less effective but are also generally lower in cost as they can be made as part of the structure. Active systems use technology to increase their effectiveness but they have their drawbacks also as far as initial cost and reliance on another energy source.

Solar energy technology and resources are increasingly becoming an affordable compliment to conventional heating and cooling and the payback for a basic hot water system is well within acceptable ranges for those that plan to stay in their home for more than 5 to 10 years.

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Air Conditioning Systems Central Air Troubleshooting Tips
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What should I Look for Before I call for services on my air conditioning system? The number one issue we find on air conditioning systems is clogged filters. First look to see if your air filter is clean and not clogged up, if it is clogged change the air filter and try your system again but keep in mind with the air conditioning system running with a clogged air filter you could have also iced up your indoor coil due to low air flow.

Air Conditioning Systems Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Air Conditioning run all day in hot weather? Assuming this is not a new symptom... this is a common complaint and can be attributed to two possible things. The first is that your system may have been designed correctly to meet the latest energy codes to perform at the highest efficiency. The other possibility is that it was not designed at all or was not sized properly in the first place.

A ir Conditioning Systems Preventative Maintenance Tips
Air Conditioning Condenser

Things you can do to maintain your air conditioning system. You can keep the outdoor air conditioner clean. You can vacuum out the inside of the unit and get all those leaves and stuff out. On most units you can gain access through the service panel. Be sure the power is off before opening the panel. Be careful not to knock off any wires and do not hit the coil as you will cause permanent damage.

Thermostat Troubleshooting Tips - Operation of the Call for Cooling
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In the case of the thermostat calling for cooling the thermostat switches on the power from the “R” or in some cases the “RC” terminal which is the 24 volt power source to the “Y” terminal on the thermostat which is in essence the call for cooling. These terminals are located on the back or on the wall mounted face plate of the thermostat. All the wires connected to the thermostat will usually always go directly to the furnace and another set of wires will then go out to the outdoor air...

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