There is no doubt that heating costs are a tremendous burden on the cost of living in today’s cash-strapped economy. As more and more Americans face an increasing credit crunch, the costs associated with our very survival are becoming more and more unbearable, and our incomes are not increasing at a rate fast enough to meet the demands on our money.

One of the biggest expenditures for Americans is the cost of heating water and their homes. Whether you rent a home or apartment, or own your own, home and water heating costs can account for 40% of our monthly and annual bills – sometimes even more in the winter months. This percentage could also grow even higher as oil prices continue to reach all-time highs. In fact, recently the price of crude oil hit $100 a barrel, driving the prices of fuel oil, natural gas and other heating fuels higher overnight.

If your heating costs have you in an increasingly tight financial situation every month, you may want to consider one of the most cost-effective and affordable solutions to higher heating costs – Solar Water Heating. With Solar Hot Water Systems, you can cut your home and water heating bills by as much as 60 to 80% from the very first month after installation.

A Solar Hot Water System is essentially a water heater that is designed to supplement your current water heater. The Solar Hot Water Collectors preheat your water through the power of the sun, which means that your current oil, propane or natural gas heater is used far less while still providing the same level comfort and safety. As you less and less of these traditional heating fuels, your monthly and annual bills will begin to go down – saving you hundreds of dollars a year, and thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the Solar Water Heater.

The best part is, a Solar Hot Water System can be purchased and installed for under $4,000 in many cases (less or roughly the same as a new traditional water heater), and through your energy savings, will completely pay for itself within 1 to 3 years. After the Solar Hot Water System has completely paid for itself, it will continue save you hundreds of dollars a year – and over the lifetime of the system, a Solar Hot Water Heater can pay for itself several times over through energy savings over the 25 to 30 year lifetime of your Solar Collectors.

For your home, Solar Hot Water can be used for a variety of applications – this versatility allows you to save money on almost every aspect of your heating bills. With a moderate sized Solar Water Heater, you can eliminate between 60 and 80% of your water heating bills for all of the following:

· Washing Laundry

· Washing Dishes

· Showers and Personal Grooming

· General Household Cleaning

And, the hot water can also be used as part of a Radiant Floor or baseboard heating system – which can be used to space heat your entire home free of cost.

There are two main types of Solar Collectors used for Solar Water Heating:

1. Flat Plate Solar Collectors – these collectors are extremely efficient in Southern, warm, sunny climates, and typically the least-expensive Solar Collector, making them very cost-effective and attractive to homeowners.

2. Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors – these collectors are more efficient than Flat Plate Solar Collectors in Northern climates where temperatures are colder, winters are longer, and the days are shorter. While Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are typically more expensive that Flat Plate Solar Collectors, their extended performance and increase efficiency in Northern Climates allow for faster paybacks and higher returns on investment.