ARTICLE BY JOHN D. IVANKO & LISA KIVIRIST
PHOTOS BY JOHN D. IVANKO AERIAL DRONE PHOTO BY LIAM KIVIRIST
Why pay for natural gas or electricity to heat your water when the sun can do it for free if there’s enough sunshine? A solar hot water heating system could meet your needs for heating water in your home, depending on the climate where you live. Not to be confused with solar electric systems that generate electricity from sunlight, solar thermal systems capture the heat from the sun and use it to heat water or even provide space heating in a home. Using abundant and free sunlight reduces the amount of gas or electricity needed to create your hot water supply, saving you money while boosting your self-reliance and sustainability efforts.