Minimal - We recommend a full system service about once every five years which includes an anti-freeze change.

There are a variety of solar collectors available and all of them typically integrate in the slope of the roof.  There are also frames available that can tilt a collector upwards (for flat roofs).  Most collectors are quite sleek and are mistaken for large skylights.

Most solar collectors absorb solar energy even on cloudy days.  Your conventional system will still be waiting on the sidelines to take over in periods of particularly low sunshine.  However, all solar water systems provide at least 70% of your annual requirements.  Freezing temperatures do not affect the solar system as propylene glycol (food grade antifreeze) is used for the transfer of energy between the collector and the tank.

Yes - in fact, the more applications you have that require hot water, the more bang for your buck in terms of collector cost-effectiveness.  The ideal solar system would have multiple applications that keep the collectors absorbing and consuming solar energy on a year-round basis.

Space heating is becoming more popular each year. Sub-floor radiant heating is an extremely effective way of providing even and consistent heat throughout the house. Baseboard and radiators are compatible solar heating systems.

Solar space heating can also be achieved with forced air.  Any solar heating system will naturally include the home's domestic hot water also.  The system is sized depending on the amount of square footage that requires heating.

Solar systems for domestic hot water are sized per-person. On average, an adult consumes 20 gallons of hot water per day (including laundry, showers, cooking, car-washing, etc) and the system is sized with this in mind. Most people size with a family of four in mind as an investment in the property value. Space heating requires further calculations of square footage, etc.

No - the solar system will come equipped with a pre-set automatic control that will turn the pump on and off to maintain the desired temperature.

There are a variety of types of collectors. All of them are generally some type of all copper tube and fin absorber inside an insulated aluminum frame or box that is covered with glass. Copper pipes run from the collector to the storage tank. A non-toxic, food-grade anti-freeze (polypropylene glycol) transfers the solar energy form the collectors to a coil inside your tank where the water is heated.

Active solar systems are mechanical and rely upon moving parts to transfer heat. Passive units may be completely stationary and simply heated by the sun - they require no auxiliary power (i.e. electricity) to operate.

The answer depends on the usage and the weather but the short answer is very hot indeed. All controllers have a high limit shut off but we like to set it as high as is safe because we like to "get it while we can." In fact, we put an ASME certified anti-scald valve on every installation just to make sure it comes out of the faucets at a safe temperature.

There are other options. We install ground-mounted systems and arrays on the side of homes/buildings.

YES!  Currently there are variety of incentives available available through local, state, and federal government programs. Check out Financial Incentives page for complete details.

Domestic hot water can account for 10-20% of your annual utilities ($150 per person annually) - depending on your current system and the cost of electric, oil, propane, gas, etc. The initial up-front-cost of a solar water heating system is higher than a "conventional" system, however the solar heating system will entirely pay for itself in around 6 years and be almost cost-free for the rest of the system's life.  Furthermore, if you need to replace your traditional electric water heater, you have eliminated that pending expense, making the final cost of your solar system even less.