Let it Shine! Solar Water Heating For Your Home

Ireland actually enjoys a very healthy amount of solar radiation, not unlike that of the South of England, so what do you need to know to retrofit a solar thermal system in your home?

With passive houses becoming ever more popular and a greatly increased awareness of the value of 'free' energy, as well as grants to encourage you to take the plunge, now is the time to decide if it's worthwhile installing solar thermal in your existing home. Firstly, know that the sums for retrofitting are more complicated than for new builds as it may involve changing cylinders, bringing in scaffolding, and so on, all of which may result in added costs. Indeed, while you could envisage paying in the order of Ј2,500 for a solar system in a new build, you're likely to be looking at double that price in a retrofit scenario. That said, you can often secure a grant to help you; PowerNI offer a variety of grants in Northern Ireland.

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