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A couple from Colonel Light Gardens are sitting back and enjoying the benefits of the latest solar hot water technology, free of charge on us.
They completed registration details with us at July’s Home Improvement Show, which put them in the running for our ERS $5000 solar product giveaway. (So please do likewise whenever you see us at a Home Show.)
The prize included a Free Energy Hour, this process revealed there highest bills were on gas – to heat hot water (over $1000 per year).
Having an older instant gas hot water system, the couple chose to install one of our highly-efficient evacuated tube systems.
However, Colonel Light Gardens is a heritage-listed suburb with strict planning regulations so we offered to help our winners work through some Mitcham City Council requirements. We shared the costs of the application and engaged our regular architectural consultants, Flightpath Architects, to prepare and supply elevations and engineering fixing details. Council requires that solar collectors can’t face the road but that suited us perfectly as the couple’s north-facing roof faced the rear of the property and the roof was at the correct pitch to make the installation unobtrusive.
We removed the old hot water system and mounted the storage tank in its place, which was close to the kitchen and existing drain point. Rather than lift the tin roof, we managed to enter the roof space and fit the system’s piping without disturbing the structure.
Evacuated tube systems have several advantages. Their tube design collects the sun longer than flat panels, which means they are 15% more efficient in overcast conditions.
The storage tank booster is electric, which saves further when boosting is required. Electric allows use of cheap power and future battery connection. They take up minimal roof space and having the storage tank on the ground means very little weight is put on the roof.
There was another bonus for our winners. With future renovations planned, they only have to disconnect some piping and the lightweight collector pipes can be removed temporarily during the work.
The couple say that they feel extremely lucky to have won this system: “We were impressed with the system installation and are very thankful for the energy savings this kind of system will provide. We feel it will be a prize that keeps on giving.”
[The winners have elected not to have their photos or names shown, which is fine by us].
If you missed seeing us at any of this year’s Home Shows, visit our comprehensive display at the Home Ideas Centre on Anzac Highway, Ashford, or follow us on Facebook.
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