Water heating

Solar energy can give UK homes hot water throughout the year, although will probably needed to be boosted by more conventional systems during the winter months.

Water is heated by panels of flat plate collectors or evacuated tubes that use a solar heating coil to transfer the sun’s warmth to a container of water. Before buying a new model, it’s always worth asking if your traditional hot water cylinder can be converted into a solar powered one.

It’s estimated that a solar water heating system will provide around one-third of a household’s hot water needs, which means a considerable reduction on your bill, thanks to sunlight being available for free.

And once equipment and installation have been paid for, the only costs associated with solar heating is for regular maintenance.

NB It’s essential to get expert advice if your home has a combination (combi) boiler, as this system may not be compatible with a solar energy supply because it does not use a water cylinder and works at a different rate of pressure.