Is my house suitable for solar water heating?

We can fit solar water heating to almost all buildings. In fact we are so passionate about this technology we want to be able to fit it to every home and are working on solar solutions for more difficult properties.

It may not be straightforward, however, if:

• You live in an apartment block;
• You have a combination boiler (ie no hot water tank);
• You do not have a south-facing roof (or more precisely a roof between SW and SE). If you have east- and west-facing roofs, we can put a panel on each and this can work well though is a bit more expensive.

These problems are almost always solvable, so don’t be put off, but you should be aware that the cost can be more.

Ideally the tubes should be angled between 40 and 60 degrees to the horizontal, but if you only have flat roofs, we can still install a system, using a triangular frame, and the top will be 1.15 m above the roof.

We cannot install solar heating onto a thatched roof. With temperatures up to 250°C not unheard of in summer – and in a test one of our systems reached 149°C in November in southern England – we think this would be tempting fate. However, if you do have a thatched property, but have a suitable unthatched outbuilding, a safe solution might be possible.

Can solar also heat my swimming pool?

Using solar to heat both swimming pool and domestic hot water is a good solution, allowing system to be sized up as the pool can take any excess heat in the summer.

We use a closed pressurized system in which the water heated by the solar panels heats the swimming pool water through a heat exchanger. It can either replace or work in conjunction with an existing boiler. Click here for performance data from a Soltrac installation in Somerset.

What about solar in business?

For businesses that use a lot of hot water solar water heating can be a good investment. Such business include: restaurants, hotels, breweries, food processing plants and dairies. Soltrac have successfully installed systems for a local brewery and for a McDonalds Drive-Thru restaurant.

Will I need planning permission?

Probably not. On 6 April 2008 new government legislation came into force which, in most cases, will remove the need for planning permission for the installation of solar panels. Statuatory Instrument 675 amends the Town and Country Planning Order (1995) to classify solar panels as a 'permitted development'. You will still require planning permission if:

• Your house is a listed building;
• Your house is in a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site, and the panels will be visible from a public highway.

If you do require planning permission for your solar installation, we will be happy to act as the agent on your behalf, filling out all official forms, preparing photo montages and dealing with any planning queries – all free of charge.