Your Questions About Solar Heating Systems For Homes

Henry Dover answers:

One building will be easier than three in most cases.

It is important to remember hot moves to cold (1st law of thermodynamics)

While the hot air is more buoyant than cold and therefore hot air moves up and cold air falls in most case. Where we have a cold sink of an unconditioned basement connected to the home heat will move to cold regardless of direction.

The system should be zoned to control heat and cold in different rooms or floors. Different thermostats in each zone.

If you were to simply heat or cool one area nothing would be comfortable

The best design would be super insulation and bring the basement within the envelope.

Passive solar design would also be considered

Check out http://Buildingscience.com

Good luck

Henry Dover answers:

It’s complicated. If you use it to get heat exactly where you need it, and turn the heating system for the rest of the house down, it’s very green.

Otherwise, unless it’s powered by a nuclear, solar , or wind powered power plant, not very.

The most efficient way to get heat from fossil fuels is to burn them on site.