A solar water heater is not only very environmentally friendly, but can also save you money on your energy bills. The water heater is usually situated on a south facing roof and is comprised of a flat rectangular box containing a series of copper pipes joined together enabling water to flow through them.

Sometimes the solar collector is placed on a south facing wall if there is no roof space, or the roof doesn't face the sun. There are instances where the collector is standing on it's own but this is unusual.

The solar collector box itself has a dark covering with a flat plate on the top. Heat from the sun hits the plate and heats the water in the copper pipes. This is then transferred to a hot water tank in the house. It's possible to save up to 30% off your energy bills each month, however this will vary from summertime to winter.

You will still be connected to your energy supplier, but you won't be using so much electricity to heat your water. Even in winter providing you get some bright, cold sunny days you can still heat the water up to a tepid temperature.

There are two different types of systems available. One is called a pumped system and the other a compact system. Usually they will both utilise a separate source of energy such as an electric heat element or they could be connected to a central heating system that could be fuel oil or gas and are only activated if the water in the holding tank gets cooler than 50'C.

This combination will insure that you will always have hot water available. You also could go a step further and have a combination of solar water heating combined with a wood stove that will also work in climates that are cooler and not use any electricity or fossil fuels.

Not only does a solar water heater make sense financially, it is a good environmental choice. In the warmer climates the backup energy source will be used very little and even in cooler climates the amount used is significantly lower than a traditional hot water heater.

You could build your own solar water heater using parts bought from your local hardware store. You only need a little bit of diy experience if you follow one of the many step by step guides available.

This could save you thousands of dollars, as the cost of installing a solar water heater can vary from $5,000 up to as much as $12,000.

Your solar water heater may not look as professional as one costing thousands of dollars, but as long as it works you will be saving money.

A solar collector may even increase the value of your property as any prospective buyer would love the opportunity to save money on their energy bills.