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SOLAR ENERGY
 What is Solar Thermal?
It is a technology that transforms solar energy into useful heating or cooling.
The products on the market today are efficient and highly reliable, providing solar energy for a wide range of applications.
What are the applications for Solar Thermal systems?
Domestic & Commercial hot water and space heating are currently the most frequent applications.
Why use Solar Thermal energy?
Solar thermal provides a clean and safe renewable energy source. Maintenance costs are very low and the systems are
built to last decades. These systems save money on energy costs, conserve fossil fuels, reduces pollution and can
reduce our dependency on foreign fuels.
State & Federal Tax credits & incentives are now
available which means the payback on a system like this can be as little as 4-5 years. No one really knows what the price of
energy will rise to or how extreme our seasons will be and that will make an impact on how much money you will be saving.
There is one thing is for sure—as soon as you install a system like this you will start to save money on your energy bills.
Other Solar Products available for your home are:
Solar Attic Fan — This fan runs on the power of the sun.
It is used to draw out the hot air in your attic which helps keep your home cooler in the hot summer months.
Let The Power Of The Sun Save You Money!
Hybrid and High Efficiency Furnaces
 How does a Hybrid Furnace work? A Hybrid Furnace
(which is also called a dual fuel furnace) works much the same as a Hybrid car. Rather than using traditional gas or electricity
to run can use 2 fuel types combined. The system is set up to choose the least expensive fuel and run on that fuel most of the
time but when that fuel is not available it runs on another fuel like gas or electric. The Solar Thermal system above works on
that concept—depends on the sun as much as possible but when the sun is not available the system reverts to gas or electric.
Heat Pumps — This system runs using a unit which looks like and
acts like an air conditioner but the hot coils are on the inside and the cool coils are on the outside. The heat pump is very
efficient—it contains a valve that lets it switch between AC & heat (the pump actually reverses the Freon.) Rather than
using fuel it “moves the heat” from inside to out or outside to in. We Install Trane Heat Pumps.
High Efficiency Systems — These systems are much like you
traditional furnace and Air Conditioner but are of a higher quality and run much more efficiently. The initial cost is more
but the monthly savings on energy bills are great.
Solar Thermal Systems heat water which can be used
for space heating and/or directly as water to wash dishes, shower, laundry etc. There are active and passive systems. Active
systems rely on pumps to move the liquid between collector and the storage tank, while passive systems rely on gravity and the
tendency for water to naturally circulate as it is heated. Most solar water heating systems have 2 main parts consisting of
solar collectors and the storage tanks.
Photovoltaic’s (PV) convert sunlight directly into
electricity. Solar energy is better for the environment; these systems prevent pollution and many other types of environmental
damages. Using an efficient solar energy source can help reduce our foreign trade deficit.
Geothermal is a system that uses the constant temperature
of the earth for both heating & cooling. Below 5 feet the ground temperature is always 55 degrees. The Geothermal loops (of
piping) in the ground deliver the 55 degree liquid to the equipment which produces either heating or cooling - it works much like an
air conditioner by working off the temperate difference of the air compared to the 55 degree temperature of the earth.
Hybrid Systems use a heat pump that can produce heating or
cooling. Contrary to popular belief, heat pumps work well in the Chicago area climate.
Energy Efficient products vary in the sense that not all homes can use
Solar Energy systems due to tree cover or shade. Not all homes can use Geothermal—it is best installed in a new construction
but can be fitted to existing homes if the situation is right. Please feel free to give us a call to discuss your options.
Each situation is unique. We would like the opportunity to help you save energy, when you save energy we all benefit.
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