What is solar gain? It is all a matter of solar panelling, gaining what is made from sunlight, and turning it into heating for your home. Say you have just moved into a new home, and you want to find what is the best sustainable method for you to make the most out of your heating. You may choose underfloor heating. However, there is more to solar gain than just this. This article will give you all the information you need to know about solar gain, its pros, cons, and how you can make the most of it to heat your home sustainably.
This article will teach you the following:
Contents
What is solar gain?
Solar gain allows you to increase the temperature in each space or structure from natural heat made by the sun. We often know this as solar energy. More than often, we have seen many houses with solar panelling on their roofs. Solar panelling works by absorbing short-wave radiation from sunlight and generating it in a home or other building. This way, you are gaining solar energy and heating from a natural source.
Does solar gain lower energy costs?
Before you consider investing in solar energy, you need to know whether you will get your value for money compared to other heating systems. Solar gain is simply a passive form of heat and because sunlight is a natural source and does not cost money, you can easily heat your home this way.
However, it will only work if it absorbs direct sunlight and not if it is filtered, such as through clouds. Therefore, you should not rely on solar gain to heat your home. It is an alternative source that will help to heat your home if you want to save on turning on the heating all the time. It should be used as a secondary heating source, aside from your boilers, radiators, or electric underfloor heating systems.
Passive solar design
Passive solar design refers to how a structure is designed for you to make the most out of your heating from the sun’s energy. Many factors contribute to this, such as the direction the building is facing, the kind of insulation installed, or even whether there are plants or trees at the front or back of your house near windows.
To ensure heating is maintained and utilised well throughout the rest of the building or home, you need to measure the correct heating and cooling requirements throughout the day to ensure the right amount of solar energy and gains can be made. This is enabled through solar panelling, which can transfer the heating of indirect or isolated solar energy across your home.
Utilising underfloor heating
To make the most out of solar gain, you need to check how soon it can heat up and cool. You can transfer solar energy into underfloor heating energy, and you can choose whether electric or water is best for you. Personally, we prefer electric since it involves a quicker process, and you can switch it on and off, rather than with water, where you must wait for it to warm up first.
Suppose your home or building has a passive solar design, as mentioned above. In that case, your underfloor heating systems will warm up quicker this way. You can easily measure your temperature control, too. In addition, multiple areas of your home can be heated at once through layered multi-zone heating. This will suit your needs better if numerous people are around or if you are on your own.
At least 40% of homes have more efficient heating through underfloor heating that is linked with solar gain compared to standard heating methods. This means you could save at least £400 a year if you decided to invest in this system.
How to maximise solar gain in your home and other buildings
To make the most out of solar energy for heating your home or other buildings, check these requirements:
Size and location:
Your windows are a considerable factor when undertaking efficient heating since most heating enters and leaves through windows. The way they are positioned will contribute towards this. Any form of glazing should be focused on the sunnier side of your building. Even in colder climates, too much solar gain can cause overheating. You can find more information on Part L of the UK building regulations.
Building orientation:
This will work better if you build your home from scratch since you can orientate it the way you want. You want the best-structured side of the building to face the sun and therefore get the most solar gain from direct sunlight.
Insulation:
To help maintain efficient heating in your home, you want to regulate your insulation. This will help to keep the efficiency of your floor heating, too, as it will prevent less heating from escaping through the floor. If your structure has enough dense materials in the structure, this will help act as a thermal mass to store more solar gains during the day if you are at work so that you can have a warmer home in the evening.
How to reduce solar gain
Because British homes are geographically made to store heating, unlike many homes abroad, you will find it can become very stuffy in the summer. Traditionally, the reason for this is that Britain is a colder country compared to others, so here are ways you can reduce solar gain in the summer:
Opening your windows and doors:
An easy way to let heat out is to open your doors and windows. This will easily reduce your solar gain levels. Additionally, if small windows are fitted to your building, less warmth will be obtained from direct sunlight.
Shading and ventilation:
Another way to repel sunlight is by using reflective glass to prevent it from absorbing heat. Items like awnings, shades, and shutters can help limit solar gain. Even if you have a tree planted in front of windows, it will act as a barrier to sunlight.
Home insulation:
Check that your walls and roof are properly insulated so that the right amount of sunlight is obtained throughout the year. However, there is such a thing as too much insulation, so you need to determine how much insulation is suitable for your home depending on how warm you want it to be throughout the year. After all, heat rises.
How to integrate UFH alongside solar gain
The best way to make the most out of solar energy is by integrating underfloor heating with it. Using water or electric underfloor heating can offer different levels of heating throughout your home. Electric heating will be better for smaller refurbishments, whereas hydronic heating is better for new-builds and larger structures. You can instantly get greater value for money by installing these UFH systems. These will save you a large sum of money in the long run.
Find out how to reduce heat loss in your home.
Make your solar gain
You should take advantage of the opportunity of adding solar gain alongside your underfloor heating systems. Yes, it will be a large setup process and upfront costs. Ultimately, the upfront payment will save the larger sum of money you would have to spend on traditional heating in the long run.
It will not take long for people to start telling the difference, either. Creating heat using natural energy sources will also save on climate change too. Therefore, switching to electric than gas will help the planet and yourself too.
FAQs
Is solar gain good?
Solar gain is used to increase thermal temperature within a building, including homes, offices, and public buildings. This is extra useful for colder climates, but can be less efficient in warmer climates.
Is solar gain better in winter or summer?
Solar gain is more beneficial in the winter, but as intense sunlight increases in the summer
How much does solar gain need per square metre?
Solar radiation has an intensity of around 1380 watts per square metre (W/m2). This is known as the Solar Constant. So 1380 watts per square metre would be needed to make efficient solar gain.
Sources
The Stationery Office. (2013). Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l
