Still available... incentives for solar hot water systems:
Incentives are currently available from LIPA* for customers with current electricity-heated household water, up to $1500 for making the switch to solar.
Better yet, for all solar hot water installations, a Federal tax credit of 30% of cost is available and a 25% New York State tax credit (capped at $5,000).
Contact us today at 516-695-1000 or info@builtwellsolar.com for information about the cost savings and other benefits of investing in your own solar hot water system.
Please consult with your own tax advisor or accountant.Built Well Solar does not provide tax advice.
Why our systems take solar hot water to a new level
For the first time in the United States, an efficient and aesthetically pleasing solar hot water system popular in Europe for years is available ... offered by global solar energy technology leader, Velux, through Long Island's premier solar energy installer, Built Well Solar. Together, Velux and Built Well Solar offer quality and reliability in both product design and in installation of your solar water heating system.
Also, the VELUX solar water heating systems are ENERGY STAR qualified. The ENERGY STAR standard is well recognized throughout the U.S. for identifying products that are energy efficient. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy which helps us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
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| Solar hot water collectors look just like skylights. A very attractive way to cut fossil fuel costs of heating household water. |
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| Solar hot water
As if providing electricity isn’t enough, the power of the sun can also be captured to heat water. In other words, just as a solar-electric system can reduce or eliminate your monthly electric bill, a solar water heating system (also called a solar thermal system) can significantly lower your water heating costs.
Solar hot water makes great sense for you and the planet
Consider the fact that about one-fifth of the average home’s energy use goes to heating the water we use. Harnessing the sun to heat the water used in your home or other location means lower oil, gas or electricity usage, which translates into lower utility bills.
On average, a solar hot water system reduces water heating bills anywhere from 50% to 80%. And, the sun is not subject to energy shortages or rate hikes. At the same time, reduced reliance on fossil fuels (in your home and at your local utility plant) is beneficial to our planet.
Unique Velux skylight-look
Most solar hot water systems in the past consisted of rooftop-mounted evacuated tubing and other equipment. Now, however, the global firm Velux has designed an aesthetically appealing, skylight-looking solar collector, for which Built Well Solar is its Long Island installer.
About Velux®
With 65 years of experience, Velux is a global leader in daylighting, skylight design and application, and solar energy technologies. Velux just recently brought the skylight-looking solar hot water system proven in Europe to the United States, and only this fall made it available locally through its partnership with Built Well Solar, Long Island's premier solar energy company. For more information about Velux, view their website at www.veluxusa.com.
Free evaluation.
Contact us for a free, no obligation evaluation of
your site to see how a solar hot water system may work for your home
or business. We'll talk to you about your water heating needs to
determine the configuration and size of the solar hot water system
that's right for you. Call us at (516) 695-1000 or e-mail us at info@builtwellsolar.com.
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| Built Well Solar technicians install Velux solar collectors. |
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Efficient, economical
Using technology that was previously only in use in Europe, the Velux skylight-looking solar hot water system is efficient and economical. Velux solar water heating systems are now ENERGY STAR qualified. As you all know, the ENERGY STAR program is well recognized throughout the U.S. for identifying products that are energy efficient!
Built Well Solar’s highly trained and experienced solar energy professionals will evaluate your existing hot water system and your total energy usage to determine how a solar thermal system may best be incorporated for optimal efficiency, economy and practicality.
Our professionals will also explain the cost of the particular system your usage requires, discuss available tax and financial incentives, and show you how quickly the payback period may be (generally between three to five years). And, we'll answer any questions you may have about your solar hot water system, the equipment entailed, and the installation process.
Usually the system is set up to work in conjunction with an existing backup heating system, designed to reduce the amount of electricity, oil or gas to bring water up to needed temperatures, not usually as a replacement system to fully meet the domestic water load of the home or other location. Also, most Built Well Solar customers include solar hot water in tandem with a solar-electric (PV) system for maximum efficiency and savings.
Warrantees
A five-year warrantee applies to Velux solar hot water installations. Additionally, Velux solar hot water product warantees cover the system itself for 10 years on the solar collectors and flashing, and for five years on solar water heating system components. As further assurance of quality, all Velux collectors and components have been certified by independent testing agencies.
ENERGY STAR qualified
Velux solar water heating systems are now ENERGY STAR qualified, the well recognized standard throughout the U.S. for identifying products that are energy efficient. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your carbon dioxide emissions in half. Installing a qualified solar water heater will reduce the load of your electric water heater by almost 2,500 kWh per year, preventing 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. This is the equivalent of not driving your car for four months every year!
Long lifetime: According to the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy, the average life expectancy of an ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heating systems is 20 years, much longer than standard gas or electric storage water heaters.
How it works
Put simply, the sun heats the water. More specifically, solar collectors – which look like skylights, but are actually opaque solar panels mounted onto the rooftop – are positioned to harness the energy that is generated from the sun. That energy is transferred into a water/glycol solution and, from there, the solution is pumped through a heat exchanger into a hot water tank. Since that cycle continuously repeats, meaning that the solution is continually re-circulated to the rooftop collectors and back again to the tank, hot water is ready for immediate use. Take a look at how the Velux system basically works: in action.
The tank serves as a storage reservoir. The solar-heated water stored there maintains its temperature for an extended period of time, indefinitely in warm climates. Even during colder seasons on Long Island, the sun continues to be strong and is still capable of heating the water, but usually an existing backup energy source will kick in after many hours of nighttime or extremely cloudy conditions.
Click here for FAQs about solar hot water.
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Free evaluation.
Contact us for a free, no obligation evaluation of your site to see how a solar hot water system may work for your home or business. We'll talk to you about your water heating needs to determine the configuration and size of the solar hot water system that's right for you.
Want more information? Have questions?
Contact us at Built Well Solar at (516) 695-1000 or by e-mail info@builtwellsolar.com.
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Just like solar-electric, solar hot water saves energy, and helps the planet by reducing CO2 emissions, and saves money, but don’t just take OUR word for it…
Here’s what environmental experts have to say:
Conventional Water Heaters Use More Energy.
According to mechanical engineers at the University of Wisconsin’s Solar Energy Laboratory, an average four-person household with an electric water heater needs about 6,400 kilowatt (kW) hours of electricity per year to heat their water. Assuming the electricity is generated by a typical power plant with an efficiency of around 30 percent, it means that the average electric water heater is responsible for about eight tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, which is almost double that emitted by a typical modern automobile. The same family of four using either a natural gas or oil-fired water heater will contribute about two tons of CO2 emissions annually in heating their water. Using a solar powered water heater in a home reduces CO2 emissions significantly.
Conventional Water Heaters Pollute.
Surprising as it may seem, analysts believe that the annual total CO2 produced by residential water heaters throughout North America is roughly equal to that produced by all of the cars and light trucks driving around the continent.
Another way of looking at it is: If half of all households used solar water heaters, the reduction in CO2 emissions would be the same as doubling the fuel-efficiency of all cars.
Solar Water Heaters Gaining Popularity.
Having half of all households use solar water heaters might not be such a tall order. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), there are 1.5 million solar water heaters already in use in U.S. homes and businesses. Solar water heater systems can work in any climate and EESI estimates that 40 percent of all U.S. homes have sufficient access to sunlight such that 29 million additional solar water heaters could be installed right now.
Solar Water Heaters Are Economical.
Another great reason to switch to a solar water heater is financial. According to the EESI, residential solar water heater systems cost more initially than electric, oil or gas heated systems, but the savings in electricity or oil or natural gas over time means that solar water heaters pay for themselves within four to eight years. And, solar water heaters have been known to last anywhere from 15 to 40 years--the same as conventional systems--so after that initial payback period is up, zero energy cost essentially means having free hot water for years to come.
Pricing: Prices for solar hot water systems vary by the type and size of the system and conditions of the particular home. On Long Island, a installed solar hot water system which accommodates a household of anywhere from 2 to 4 people typically costs about $12,000 before applying available tax credits, which reduce that by about 55%!!. Systems for households sized at 1 to 2 and 5 to 6 people are also available. System pricing varies according to piping requirements and other specifics evaluated by our on staff master plumber prior to our providing a customized estimate for your particular home or business site.Tax Credits: As you may know, in 2005 the U.S. began offering homeowners federal income tax credits of 30 percent (once capped at $2,000; that cap was removed in March 2009!) the net installed cost of the system. Click here for more on the Federal Tax Credit. Also, New York State provides a personal income tax credit of 25%, with a maximum cap of $5,000, for domestic solar hot water systems. Click here for more on the NYS Tax Credit.
What to Know Before You Install a Solar Water Heater.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, zoning and building codes relating to the installation of solar water heaters usually reside at the local level, so consumers should be sure to research the standards for their own communities and hire a professional installer familiar with local requirements. Homeowners beware: Most municipalities require a building permit for the installation of a solar hot water heater onto an existing house.*
Source: E/The Environmental Magazine
*Please note: Built Well Solar Corp. has experience with and an understanding of zoning and building codes, and obtains any necessary building permits on behalf of the homeowner, again making the process easy.
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