I met with the Owner of Solar Choice Heat this week. It's an incredible heating system, so I wanted to share it with you. (not that we need anymore heat this week, but yes, winter will be here before you know it!).
Basically, it's a "different" looking vertical blind. It should be installed only on windows that face the south. There are no moving parts to breakdown and it can be installed on existing vertical blind headers. If you install this product on a south facing standard patio door window, it can generate 40,000 BTU's of heat in an 8 hour period.
From their website, here's a brief explanation of the product:
SolarChoice Heaters are a passive solar heating system that can reduce heating bills by as much as 35%. It’s a simple, smart way to generate clean, renewable heat with a solar heater that is the newest application of solar power heating technology simply installed inside a window or sliding glass door.
SolarChoice Heaters generate heat from the power of the sun, they insulate as well. With an R-value of 1.7 SolarChoice Heaters retain heat in your home. (Many double glass, gas-filled
windows have an R-value of approximately 2.0)
Masquerading as a window treatment, the SolarChoice passive solar heating system draws cool air into the bottom of each vertical solar heating blind. As air travels up each vane and along the solar heated, aluminum core it exits the top and re-enters the room at 120-140 degrees. It’s a simple, passive solar power heating system that reduces heating bills from the moment they’re installed.
They've done studies with the University of Duluth and here are some statistics:
Here's how it works:
Cool air is drawn in the bottom of each clear plastic vane and is heated as air rises and passes along sun-heated aluminum core inserts. The air exits the top of each vane, re-entering the room at 120 – 140 degrees.
Approximate cost for that same patio window is about $1,500. You just need to weigh the energy savings to see if it would be worth it for you.
They've been in the news several times. You can check out their website at: www.solarchoiceheat.com
Hi
If we applied residential solar heating systems at our home than it will increase the real estate value of home. No doubt that initial cost for applying residential solar system is quite high but the long term benefits provided by the solar systems supplements it’s initial cost.
That heating system look so cool! Maybe i could try one when i have the time. But nevertheless, i really need heat inside my house now. It’s been cold here for months!