With increasing fossil fuel prices, solar heating is becoming a popular option. Here’s the scoop on DIY Solar Heating.

DIY Solar Heating

In the late 70s, the world suffered through an oil crisis. Oil dependant countries reacted by investing in renewable energy strategies with the goal of reducing the impact of future problems. While the United States dropped this strategy after the end of the crisis, many other countries continued to pursue it. Germany, for instance, produces a sizeable amount of its electrical needs through wind and solar power. Norway produces all of its need through hydropower.

As oil prices rise, we are paying for not continuing to pursue renewable energy. Fortunately, much of the technology developed in other countries is readily available in the United States.

DIY solar heating is a fairly uncomplicated task if you have basic construction knowledge. There are two distinct types of solar heating, but only one should be pursued as a do it yourself project.

The first type is active solar heating, which uses solar panels to create electricity for heating or to heat water. In general, you should consider having a contractor install these systems. Federal and state governments offer massive rebates and tax savings if you use active solar heating systems instead of drawing off the electrical grid. These rebates, however, usually require a licensed contractor do the installation. While there are exceptions, you don’t want to miss out on $4,000 to $10,000 in savings. It simply isn’t worth it.


The second type of solar platform is known as passive. The government doesn’t kick you any rebates or tax incentives for this platform, so it makes a perfect DIY solar heating project. Passive solar heating simply means orienting your home or structure to take advantage of the plentiful sunlight that hits it each day. The idea is to let the sunlight in on the south side of your home, let it heat up thermal mass materials such as masonry and then circulate the heat through the home. Yes, it works in the winter. You can read more about passive solar on the following pages: DIY Heating – Passive Solar, Trombe Wall and Passive Solar Floor Plans.

DIY solar heating projects rarely require you to have any special knowledge beyond basic home improvement construction experience. The trick is in the orientation of the home, the placement of windows and the materials used. It is fairly simple and can save you a ton of money on your utility bills.

In summary, DIY solar heating is appropriate if you are pursuing a passive solar project. If you want to use panels, the financial incentives make DIY a bad choice in most cases.