Using the power of the sun to provide heat or light in your home can be done a couple of ways. In this article, we look to lizards for a basic solar lesson.
Nature is a funny thing. If we pay close attention to it, we can often find the answer to many questions. Solar is no different. In this case, we are going to look at lizards for guidance.
Undoubtedly, you have seen lizards sunning themselves on rocks if you have ever gone hiking or even just sat outside. If you gave it any thought, you realized the lizard was using solar power to warm itself. It positioned itself to maximize the exposure to the sun by determining where it was going to get the maximum warmth. As odd as it may sound, using the sun to heat your house involves the same approach.
The goal of natural solar heating for a house is to maximize the exposure to the sun throughout the year. The more surface area that is exposed, the more energy you can convert. Get it wrong, and your results will be very disappointing.
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, the south side of your house will always receive the most sunlight. As a practical matter, this means the longest side of your house should face south. This side should also contain the most windows to convert the energy. While facing south is important, there is an additional step.
The Earth tilts through different degrees throughout the year, one of the factors that gives us seasons. You need to realize this and position your house for the appropriate time of the year. You are probably not going to need heating during the summer. As a result, you should not orient your home to the path of sun during this period of time. Instead, you should determine the path of the sun during the winter, to wit, the angle at which it strikes your property. You will be surprised how much of a difference there is, but will be glad you take it into account since this is when you need to the most heating.
Much like a reptile changes places on a rock throughout the day, you need to gauge the best position for your house to take advantage of the power of the sun.
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of
solar power companies.
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