Under Wraps: The Benefits Of Using Insulated Piping In Your Solar Hot Water System
With energy bills climbing higher and higher every year and the environmental impact of excessive energy consumption becoming ever more apparent, more and more households are taking steps to lower their energy consumption and rely more on renewable energy sources, and installing a solar-powered hot water system is an excellent way to do so.
Any solar hot water system naturally includes large amount of piping, which channel cold water to the panels that collect heat and funnel the subsequently heated water to your hot water storage tank. While this piping might seem like one of the less crucial components of a solar hot water system, the efficiency of your system hinges greatly on choosing the right kind of pipes, and whatever piping you choose should be insulated with sheaths made of plastic, fibreglass or other heat-insulating materials.
What are the benefits of choosing insulated piping for a solar hot water system?
Decreased heat loss
The most important and obvious advantage of installing insulated piping in your solar hot water system is that an insulated pipe prevents your water from losing too much heat as it travels from the solar array to your hot water tank. When your pipe insulation is well chosen, it can massively increase the efficiency of your hot water system, helping you rely less on fossil fuel–powered heating elements and reducing your energy bills even more.
Protection against cold snaps
Freezing pipes might not be a problem for most Australians, but the occasional cold snaps encountered in mountainous areas or southern parts of the country catch many homeowners off guard and can severely damage piping that is not properly protected against sudden freezing. Insulated piping is just as good at protecting against cold as it is at retaining heat, ensuring that your solar hot water system remains functional whatever the weather may bring.
Decreased condensation
If the pipes that funnel hot water from your solar array to your hot water tank are left unsheathed, significant amounts of condensation can accumulate on the exterior surfaces of your pipe. This isn't a particularly pressing problem if your entire piping array is exposed, but any piping that runs through walls or flooring can promote the spread of mould and fungi if too much condensation moisture leeches into the surrounding building materials. Insulated piping has far fewer condensation problems, especially if you choose an absorbent insulation type.
Burn protection
Uninsulated piping can become remarkably hot to the touch, especially on sunny days where large amounts of hot water can be collected, and any exposed sections of piping running from the solar array to the water tank can pose a serious burn hazard, particularly if your household contains children. Insulated pipes are much cooler to the touch and will never become hot enough to burn skin.
Share