Passive solar homes are heated directly from the sun. Both heating and cooling can happen as well as other energy uses can come from the sun. And, it works all year round giving you the ability to live in a comfortable climate no matter what season it happens to be.
Basically, there are two solar modes of heating: passive and active. With a passive solar design, the house is constructed to use the natural movement of heat and air to heat or cool the building. It will maintain a comfortable temperature throughout it. It uses little or even no mechanical assistance to do this. Through the types of construction features the home has, the house is able to use solar energy. It uses such things as a local breeze and the various features of the landscape like shade trees and windbreaks. It takes these types of energy, collects them and then provides them with no switches or controls at all.
In an active solar home, there are mechanical devices such as pumps and fans to move the heat that has been collected to storage or from the storage throughout the home to use it.
Is This Right For Me?
More than likely, you will need to use a professional, skilled builder to help you to get your home safely into a passive solar home, you should be able to understand just what the home will look like as well as how it will work. In passive solar homes, you’ll need to take special care with several areas. In doing so, you’ll be able to achieve the solar powered help that you need effectively.
The basic things that you’ll need in the design of your home will include the right orientation, the right overhangs and shading, the right amount of insulation, careful selection of windows as well as thermal mass. Sounds like too much to worry about? Scientists and builders have been building these homes for some time and with careful planning they work just right without much thought to it.
If you would like to improve your current home into a more passive solar home, you can do so by taking advantage of the overhangs and shading and insulation. Of course, you really can’t change the orientation of your home, though. And, you’ll need major construction to replace the windows correctly.
What about Thermal Mass?
One of the exceptional features about passive solar homes is thermal mass. It is any construction material that will allow a passive designed home to collect, store and distribute the suns energy. This feature actually puts into motion the working solar home. You can learn more about the types of materials used in thermal mass throughout the web. For now, just know that it is one of the methods that allows a solar home to be solar home.
passive solar home Bottom Line
So the bottom line is if you want a passive solar home you should just build it the right way. In these homes, you’ll need to take the same basic materials that you will use in a traditional built home and just rearrange them in a better, more energy efficient manner so that you are working with the Earth for your energy needs. While it may sound crazy, when a home is properly positioned, is well insulated and has the right positioning of windows and overhangs, you will find that it is a money saver for sure. A passive solar design is an exceptional choice if you are building a new home or working on updating the old if you are looking to lower you energy bills.
Indeed, today more than yesterday even, prices for energy just keep rising. You’ll find that not only are the gasoline prices for your car skyrocketing but so are those for your heating. This makes it quite difficult to care for your family during those cold winter months. But, with the use of passive solar homes, you may just find that you can save money by rebuilding that home of yours. Even if you do not plan to go to that extreme, there are many benefits to this type of heating. Not only is it less expensive, it is completely safe for your family and for mother Earth. This makes it an exciting choice for many people.
