Homemade solar space heaters save money, reduce carbon

Coated with Rust-Oleum High Heat black paint, recycled pop and beer cans became the heat “collectors” of a do-it-yourself solar space heater, designed by an Internet user named Brian.

This was just one of three “do it yourself” case studies presented by School of Public and Environmental Affairs senior lecturer Terry Usrey on Wednesday night.

Together with the Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network, Usrey organized an informational presentation in the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium to discuss available options for solar space heating and introduce information on commercially installed solar space heating systems to attendees.

The workshop was designed to heighten interest and knowledge of the different ways to use solar power, Usrey said.

“There is a high probability that participants who actually construct a homemade solar space heater will definitely reduce heating bills and will recoup an investment they make initially,” he said.

A simple solar space heater can be a large wooden box of any dimensions that contains a panel of the same dimensions, called a collector. This collector is usually made of some type of aluminum or solar paneling, and it is painted black or another dark color to attract and absorb sunlight.

A pane of glass is then fit and set over the collector to enclose the box. This pane of glass will keep heated air from escaping once it is collected. A fan is placed at one end of the collector so air flow is created within the solar heater.

A large hole is then cut from opposite ends of the solar collector, allowing for ductwork to be run from the fan to the house, and from the house back into the collector.

The cycle that is produced by convection will suck cold air from the house into the collector to be heated, and it will then be sent back into the house to heat a designated area or room.

During his presentation, Usrey said a solar heater of this type or commercial-grade would break the cost in less than six years. This return on investment would happen if the solar space heater were large enough and attracted enough sun to produce eight kilowatt hours of heat per day during a 200-day heating period each year.

Local resident Maggie Sullivan and her husband installed a commercial-grade solar space heater system against their home a few years ago.

“The unit cost about $3,000 with installation,” Sullivan said.

Mounting the commercial solar panel heater, made by a nonprofit cooperative business in Minnesota, vertically on the side of their home, the Sullivans are able to heat a large living space for hours.

Although the Sullivans installed a commercially produced solar heating system, local resident Jack Urrutia built one of his three solar heating panels from recycled materials.
His solar heating system consists of two recycled commercial solar panels from the ’80s and one “homebrew” system that he made from miscellaneous recycled materials.

“I used refurbished materials from Habitat for Humanity’s store,” Urrutia said. “I used glass from old patio doors for the covering and recycled sheet metal for the collector.”

Urrutia spray painted the sheet metal black with high heat paint intended for use on barbecue grills.

His panels are used to heat the lower level of his house, as well as one second floor room.

But there are some disadvantages to mounting solar panels so close to the walls, he said.

“The downside to this during the summer is the sun is out all the time, so it heats the box and that heat is still wanting to come through even though the vents are closed,” Urrutia said.

Usrey said the possibility of heating his home with power from the sun would be a great alternative to his wood-burning fireplace and an opportunity to reduce his carbon footprint.