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How To Have A Solar-heated Home Without Solar Panels

The angle of the sun from the horizon changes throughout the year. In the summer, the Sun angle (also known as altitude angle) is greatest. That is to say, the sun cuts a high arc through the sky. In the winter the altitude angle is lowest. The Sun cuts a low arc through the sky. The angle changes every day. On June 21, the longest day of the year, the Sun angle is greatest. On December 21, the shortest day of the year, the sun angle is lowest.

Thus, the eves on your passive solar home act as an automatic on-off switch for your passive heating / cooling system. It turns the Sun power’s effect on your home off for most of the day in the Summer, but leaves it on for most of the day during the Winter. ...

With the exception of adding a slight overhang above South-facing windows, there isn’t much you can do about turning your existing home into a passive solar house without major, expensive renovations. But next time you buy a home, before moving into one of those add-water monopoly houses in the new subdivision, think about how inefficient their designs are. Most of the time you’ll see that the South-facing windows are either hidden from the sun by the house next to you, or two few, which would cause your home to be cold in the Winter and require more energy from the furnace to heat. Or you may notice that the south-facing windows are in full view of the Sun, but there is no ledge above the area, thus allowing the Sun to heat up your home like an oven during the summer.

The ledge, window and mass wall are probably the three most important concepts of a passive solar home. But it goes well beyond that. For instance, knowing that heat rises, there are ways to control the flow of air throughout your house so as to take full advantage of cooler air in the summer and warmer air during the winter. All it takes is a few well-placed vents that can be switched open or closed depending on the time of the year. If people demand this kind of forethought from their builders we would require only a fraction of the fossil fuels being used to cool and heat our homes. If you combine passive solar design with a few solar panels, this often results in the power company paying YOU each month for the extra energy you’re sending back into the grid. Everybody wins with passive solar home designs.

Here are a few more resources if you’re interested in passive solar:
http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/80372
http://www.solarliving.org/workshops/
http://www.colorado.gov/energy/renewables/passive-solar-design.asp
http://www.nesea.org/buildings/passive.html
http://www.realgoodssolar.com/solar/ecs/main/ArticlesVideo.html

About the Author: Everett Sizemore is a part-time freelancer and full-time SEO who enjoys writing about subjects such as environmentally friendly products, and consumer product safety.

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