Solar Hot Water Service

Dickson Plumbers and Gas Fitters are endorsed to install any Solar Hot Water Service. We can install plonk on units (tank and panels on your roof or split systems).
Split systems are where the tank is on the ground and the panels on the roof. We are based in Mountain Creek and cover the areas of the Sunshine Coast.

What is the advantage of using solar hot water systems?

Solar thermal energy has use widely in Australia for heating water for domestic use. This is an excellent and economic solution. By using the sun’s heat for generating our hot water, we reduce the amount of fossil fuels needing burning (and the associated greenhouse gas emissions generated) to supply electricity to do the same thing.

How does a solar hot water roof mounted system work?

Solar collector(s) are located on the roof structure, facing in a northerly direction. The sun heats the water in the collector, which then goes into a tank. While in the case of flat plate systems the tank may also be on the roof; with evacuated tube collectors, the tank is usually stored at ground level.

The hot water rises naturally in the tank – this process is called thermo-siphoning. This water is then made available to the house, either through a gravity feed or a pump.

The colder water at the bottom of the storage tank then travels into the collector and starts to heat up. This process is a continuous cycle and can save the average household up to 75% of their hot water energy requirements and related greenhouse gas emissions.

How does a solar hot water split system work?

A split system consists of north facing roof mounted collector(s) and a separate tank on the ground, usually located close to one of the major hot water consumption areas such as the bathroom. The sun heats the water in the collector and once the water reaches a desired temperature, a sensor device activates a circulation pump that starts to pump the hot water into the storage tank on the ground. The pump also pumps the cold water from the bottom of the storage tank into the collector(s).

How do the roof mounted and split systems compare?

The energy benefits of the two systems are about the same. While the heat loss is less in the split system as the tank is not as exposed to the elements as the roof mounted tank, some additional energy is necessary to operate the low wattage pump in the split system. The decision of which system to use comes back to structural design of the roof, personal taste and ease of access for servicing. We offer a wide range of roof mounted and split systems.

Which is better – flat plate or evacuated tube collectors?

While flat plate has been the most popular form of collector in solar hot water systems in years gone by, the relatively recent introduction of evacuated tube collectors has seen a shift to this form. This specially given its vastly improved performance and durability in all sorts of conditions.

How do our solar hot water systems compare to competitors?

Before we can sell solar hot water systems in Australia, or achieve any of the state or federal government rebates, our product must comply with stringent Australian Standards for hot water and solar hot water. We only stock products that comply with all these standards. Given our considerable network, we can offer some of the best prices in Australia.