An energy audit and solar assessment will help you determine how much of your hot water needs can be met by a solar hot water system. More efficient hot water use can save you hundreds of dollars on the up-front cost of solar.

Solar Potential. Solar hot water systems perform best with unshaded, south-facing exposure. Shading reduces system performance and can be caused by trees, nearby buildings, chimneys, and other roof obstructions. East- or west-facing exposures can be used for a system but with reduced performance. Systems can be mounted on a wide range of roofing materials as long as the roof is in good condition; they need to support the weight of the system for its useful life. A solar hot water system may also be installed with a ground-mounting.

Hot Water Needs. To estimate the size of a system that would be required to meet your hot water needs, consider that a single 32 ft² solar collector will supply enough hot water for every 2 adults in your home. Children and elderly residents generally use half of the amount of the hot water in the home as a middle-age adult.