Solar Baseboard & Wall Heaters

Preparation

• Before you commit to installing solar baseboard and wall heaters in your home, check with local municipal building codes to ensure that you can install a solar collection system on your property. This is especially relevant if you plan on installing the solar system on your roof because building codes often address issues of building height and the structural capacities of roofs. Other local restrictions, such as those enforced by homeowner associations, might also apply.

Electric

• Electric solar baseboard and wall heaters derive their energy from photovoltaic systems, which are commonly referred to as solar panels. The panels rely on two layers of silicon semiconductor materials, which generate electric current when exposed to light. However, because the goal of installing solar panels is to lower energy consumption, using the electricity that the panels generate to power baseboard and wall heaters is not a particularly effective option. This is because electricity is an inefficient source of heat. A more energy efficient alternative is to use baseboard and wall heaters that rely on a solar hydronic system.

Hydronic

• You can use a solar hydronic system both for home heating and for producing hot water. The systems rely on solar collectors, which transfer the heat from sunlight into pipes filled with liquid. The heated liquid can then be channeled into baseboard and wall heaters. According to the Department of Energy’s Energy Savers website, hot-water baseboard and wall heaters typically require water temperatures of between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit in order to adequately heat rooms.

Alternatives

• Apart from using a solar hydronic system to supply heat to baseboard and wall heaters, you can use the system for radiant floor heating. Radiant floor heating circulates solar-heated liquids through pipes that are embedded in the floor. Alternatively, by installing a heating coil or heat exchanger in your home’s main return duct, you can use a solar hydronic system for forced-air heating.

Considerations

• Whether you plan on installing electric baseboard and wall heaters that rely on solar panels or hot-water baseboard and wall heaters that rely on hydronic solar systems, a backup form of heating is often necessary. Examples include oil-burning and natural-gas burning furnaces. In most instances, solar heating systems cannot meet 100 percent of a home's heating needs while remaining cost-effective and practical.