You may be wondering about some of the factors to consider when going for a solar water heater, especially if it is your first time having one. This article discusses these factors to make your selection easy while purchasing for the first time.

High bills of electricity are becoming a significant challenge in Africa. Many solar companies have decided to take this as an advantage to make money and, simultaneously, try to solve this problem of constant power shortage.

The constant transition from electric energy to solar energy has succeeded since solar power is cheaper than electric energy and easy to harness. Solar energy is also reliable. Many people are late diverting their attention and interest to solar energy in African countries. It is believed that solar water heaters can reduce electricity bills by 65% when used in homes.

However, choosing the best solar heater equipment is difficult for most people. This equipment is short-lived in most cases, basically because of poor selection. Factors affecting the solar water heater prices in Kenya are therefore discussed alongside considerations to make before making purchases of the equipment:

Source of water

Before buying a solar heater, you should consider your water source. You should know whether your water is hard or soft. Knowing your water source is because hard and soft water varies in terms of mineral capacities in them; therefore, each water requires a different heating system.

Type of the heater and how it functions

Before buying a solar water heater, one needs to understand the type of heater they want and how they function to prevent damage to the equipment during usage. Again, some heaters have internal heating elements already installed in them, which do the heating when the solar energy is insufficient, and those that do not have.

Plumbing work

Another ideal factor is plumbing work. Some heaters come with two-way piping. Two-way piping is a mechanism that separates cold and hot water using two different pipes. This system is commonly used in bathrooms, although not many plumbers know. Again, the kitchen requires a lot of water. Hence, it would be wasteful to have hot water in the kitchen since it frequently pumps water to the heating system.

The tank used

Tanks used to store water heated by solar should withstand the heat and retain it. Such tanks should be thick in diameter and retain heat for 72 hours. Another important factor about these tanks is that they should not produce a bad smell, especially in the water stored in them.

Service life

The notion of the heaters' service life is also essential. One can know the water heater's service life by checking the heater's warranty before deciding to have one. Hence, it will enable you to purchase a heater whose service life is long.

Conclusion

Many homes require solar water heaters but do not know the best types. Therefore, one should consider the above to avoid landing on a piece of lousy equipment.