1. Covers

While many clear materials can be used as covers for solar collectors, glass is the most common material because it can be made quickly and easily. However, it is important to use glass that is not going to be damaged easily, so, the glass used in solar collectors is of a special variety that resists breaking and scratching. When sunlight passes through this special glass and hits a surface inside a solar collector, it changes into heat. Glass is the perfect medium because while glass allows sunlight to pass through, it also traps the heat produced inside the collector.

2. Absorbers

So the sun's heat passes through the glass, and into the solar collector, and is then soaked up by metal sheets or containers filled with water, rocks, or bricks that have been painted black or another dark color. These dark-colored objects that soak up heat are called absorbers. It works along the same lines as when a car sits in the sun and has dark seats, and the interior gets really hot. When solar energy passes through the windows of a car, heat is absorbed by the seat. If the seats were a lighter color, like yellow or white, light would be reflected away from the seats, and less heat would be absorbed. Dark-colored seats absorb more heat, thus the materials used in the absorbers must be dark.

3. Insulation

Insulation is important in a solar collector because heat always tries to move from a hotter object to a colder one. Thus, insulation is what stops or slows down the movement of heat out of the solar collector.

4. Vents and Pipes

So, heat is produced, and then the heat that it produced moves from the collector to an area where that heat can be used. Vents and pipes and fans carry the heated air from the collector to the parts of the house that need heating. Or, if you are using solar heating for heating water, then the pipes, tubes, and pumps move water from the collector to water heating or space heating equipment.

So Why Should We Use Solar Heating Systems?

Natural gas and oil, which are burned to heat our homes and water, are limited and the effects of this are being seen by higher gas prices. Thus, solar heating is becoming more important than ever before. As reserves of gas and oil shrink more and more, these fuels become more expensive. If more people began using solar heating systems, fossil fuels such as oil and gas would become less expensive and last longer. As you can see there are financial benefits to solar heating. Burning natural gas and oil in our heating systems also causes air pollution. Thus, if more people use solar energy to heat the air and water in their homes, our environment would be cleaner as well, so as you can see it is a win, win, win situation if you use solar heating to heat your home or water.