Solar energy has a variety of practical and cost-effectiveapplications in today's homes:
Solar energy is used more for heating swimming pools than for any other single use, with over 300,000 pools heated by solar in the U.S. 9
Solar pool heating equipment is so reliable that warranty coverage for the products far exceed that of automobiles and household appliances. 2
The U.S. spends more than $13 billion-a-year on energy for home water heating. That is the equivalent of 11.4 barrels of oil per household, more than the amount of oil burned by a medium-sized automobile driven 12,000 miles. 1
Water heating accounts for approximately one-fourth of the total energy used in a typical single-family home. An electric water heater is the single biggest energy user of all appliances in the home. 1
Of all of the major types of water heating systems, solar energy systems offer the biggest potential savings to homeowners- with owners saving 85 percent on their utility bills over the costs of electric water heating. 1
When a solar hot water heating system is included in the financing for a new home, the typical cost of the system ranges from $13 to $20 month and because the system is included in the home's mortgage, the homeowner can take advantage of a federal income tax deduction. 1 At least nine states now have lenders which offer "energy mortgages". 8
Of the over 1.5 million Americans who have invested in solar hot water systems for their homes and businesses, over 94% consider the investment a wise decision. 3
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Footnotes
1.Sklar, Scott and Kenneth Sheinkopf. ConsumerGuide to Solar Energy. (Ill., Bonus Books, Inc.: 1995).
2.Using Solar Energy to...Heat Swimming Pools.SEIA brochure.
3.Solar Thermal Water Heating. SEIA brochure.
8.
9."Building Interest in Solar Energy",Solar Industry Journal. Fourth Quarter, 1996.
