Many homeowners are looking for ways to be greener and more cost efficient when it comes to their utility bills for hot water and electricity.

One of the most efficient ways to implement green initiatives and save money when it comes to your home is with the addition of solar; both to power your home and heat your water.

You may think that you have to choose whether to install solar to provide you with electricity OR hot water, when in actual fact – you can do both! You just have to decide which system to use; a solar PV system or a solar hot water system.

We compare the pro’s and con’s of both to see which one would be the best option.

Solar Panels 

Benefits include:

●      Solar PV systems can also heat water without the requirement of additional solar hot water systems being installed by simply putting your electric water heater on a timer so your solar power heats your water during daylight hours,

●      One cost for energy to both power the home and heat water,

●      Work well even on cloudy days and in indirect sunlight.

Disadvantages include:

●      Require a larger amount of roof space than solar hot water systems,

●      Require annual maintenance such as cleaning annually,

Solar hot water systems

Benefits include:

●      Low maintenance, generally only require descaling every three to five years,

●      Minimal space required to install compared to a solar PV system

Disadvantages include:

●      Only heat water, not energy in the home,

●      Don’t work well on cloudy or rainy days,

●      Require direct sunlight in order to function,

●      Expensive compared to other types of water heaters.

As you can see, there is really no need to install both a solar PV system and a solar hot water system, as you can use the PV system to heat the water in your home.

Ultimately if you are deciding between one or the other, you should consider installing a solar PV system – as you can reap more benefits of both solar power and use the solar to heat your water, with only one installation!