How much does a solar heater cost?

While a whole-home heating and cooling system can cost up to $30,000, a solar heater typically costs about $5,000. Want to learn the difference between an active and passive solar heater? How much does it cost to install and what are the annual maintenance costs? We have all those answers here.

How much does a solar hot water system cost?

Passive systems cost $1,000 to $3,700, have no moving parts, and are easier to maintain. All solar water heater systems are either active (direct and indirect) or passive (integral collector-storage and thermosyphon). *Not including installation or tax rebates. Active solar hot water system prices are $2,300 to $6,000 for the system alone.

How much does a solar system cost?

A typical size for a home would be two solar collectors for an area of 64 or 80 sf. The cost of such a system might be on the order of $4,000 as described in the example above. The simple payback period would be the initial cost divided by the annual cost savings. When compared to natural gas in our on-going example:

How much does it cost to install solar panels?

Photovoltaic solar panels are only 15% to 20% efficient at converting the sun's energy to heating water. Photovoltaic panels can generate solar electricity to power a hybrid heat pump water heater instead. Solar panel installation costs $10,600 to $26,400 (after the tax credit) for a 6 to 12 kW system to power an average house.

Will a solar water heater pay for itself?

While solar water heater costs are a bit higher than a standard system, this energy-saving option could pay for itself in a few years. Here’s what you need to know.

How much does a solar water heater collector cost?

Solar thermal collectors cost $800 to $1,500 per panel depending on size, or $1,600 to $2,600 for enough collectors to supply hot water to a family of four. Solar water heater collectors are typically roof-mounted and come in these models: