Heating your home in an eco-sustainable way has become an imperative. And today, in addition to the classic pellet, wood or solar systems, there are also solar collectorswhich can make a big difference in reducing environmental impact without consuming electricity.
These devices use the heat of the sun to warm the air entering the house and to release the heat during the night in the form of infrared. A small miracle of sustainable technology.
How solar collectors work: the power of water for heating
Solar collectors use the heat of the sun to heat the air entering the house, then spreading the accumulated heat in the form of infrared even at night. This system is made up of glass containers filled with water, a material that manages to retain double the calories compared to other materials such as limestone, maintaining good effusivity and favoring the passage of sunlight. To optimize the effectiveness of solar collectors, it is necessary to have large glass surfaces oriented to the south to maximize light absorption.
A solar collector is composed of two main units. Each contains approximately 250 containers filled with salt water, arranged in a wooden structure with double glass on the outside and single glass on the inside. The first module heats the air sucked in via grills, while the second heats the outside air before diffusing it inside the home.
The system exploits the natural convection to circulate air, thus reducing the need for fans or heat exchangers. With good sun exposure, a solar collector can heat a room for around three days, reaching temperatures of up to 45°C during the colder months.