Solar water heaters usually need minimal maintenance. However, it’s really important to check your solar water heater at least once a year to ensure all components are in top condition and to keep the system working effortlessly.

Some of the components in a solar water heating system that should be checked include:

Solar collectors –

The solar collectors should remain unshaded. It’s quite common for solar panels that were present under the full sunlight when they were installed in order to receive shading because of the tree growth. You may trim or remove vegetation, if needed.

Dust and dirt particles can impact on the collector performance. During dry and dusty weather, the panel may require cleaning periodically. However, snow and ice melt off, but may require to be removed during heavy accumulations, especially if the panels are placed at a shallow angle.

The solar collectors should be checked for yellowing or cracks and also the seals to make sure that they are still in top condition.

Roof and support 

It’s highly suggested to check the penetrations of roof to ensure that there are no problems related to water leakage. The nuts and bolts that are present on racking system need to be checked for tightness and the racks themselves checked for the signs of stress.

Pipes, valves and plumbing –

You should check the pipes and valves for drips and leaked. You can repair or replace them if necessary. It’s important to ensure that the pressure relief valve is stuck open or shut.

Pump –

When it comes to maintaining solar water heaters, you need to check whether the pump is in good condition. If the pump fails, it can cause the system to overheat. The burning smells, high-pitched noises, return pipes and cold supply are the signs that a pump has failed.

Sensors and controllers –

Both the sensors and controllers are the important components of the control system of your solar water heating systems. So it’s important that they should function effortlessly. To inspect a sensor, you can apply mild heat in order to record the rise in temperature. Most controllers come with digital displays that are set to indicate malfunctions, if there is any.

Heat transfer fluids –

Most solar water heaters use glycol or something similar as an antifreeze solution. You should check fluid annually to make sure it is in good condition. If the system is present in a hard water space, the fluid may require to be treated to prevent it.

Solar hot water tanks –

Maintenance of solar water tanks is paramount to operate solar water heaters. You can check them periodically to know whether there are any cracks, leaks or corrosion.

Final thought –

While above discussed points can be checked by most homeowners, maintenance of solar hot water tanks are best performed by solar experts. To know more about solar hot water tanks, please count on Latitude51 Solar. For immediate availability of solar water tanks, please click here today. We will get back to you as soon as possible!