In regard to purchasing an active solar heating system there are two basic types that you will need to choose from: air or liquid systems. The liquid active solar heating system heats up water or any good anti-freeze solution in a hydronic collector. On the other hand, the air active solar heating system heats up air and this is done in air collectors.
Both the air and liquid active solar heating system however will collect as well as absorb radiation from the sun and then will transfer the heat from the sun directly to an interior space or to a storage holding system from where the heat can then be distributed. Sometimes, an active solar heating system is unable to provide sufficient heat to your home and in such instances you may have to supplement the power by adding auxiliary or even a back-up system that will supply the additional amount of heat necessary to keep your home warm.
The air active solar heating system makes use of air which substitutes for the working fluid but which will nevertheless absorb and transfer the solar energy. Solar air collectors in fact can even heat the rooms in your home directly or they can even be integrated into heating system (centralized).
To get your active solar heating system to provide sufficient heat it is also necessary that you orient the collectors to true south though you can allow for about twenty degree deviation from true south without significantly causing any deterioration in performance.
If you are using the liquid active solar heating system then you must also consider proper storage which can take the form of a tank of water or which can be masonry mass of radiant slab system. In a majority of instances, the storage tanks will need to have one or even two gallons of water per square foot of the collector. The tanks themselves are normally made from steel or concrete or fiberglass and reinforced plastic; in some cases, the tanks can even be made from wood. You need to weigh the pros and cons of each material before making up your mind which material is the best for your needs.
The distribution of heat can be affected by using radiant slab heaters that in turn will make use of plastic/rubber pipes that need to be embedded in concrete floors. The solar heated water will then circulate through the pipes and in the process heat up the floor which in turn radiates the heat to the rest of the room and so keeps the interiors sufficiently warm.
Passive solar heating systems are those which provide users with a more cost effective solution to their home heating needs. In fact, if you are adding a passive system to your home during the construction of the home there will hardly be any additional costs though the benefits are significant and well worth paying a little extra for.
