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Passive Solar Heating Cooling House

Are you interested in having a passive solar heating/cooling house? Without even thinking about it, your answer should be “yes.” Why? Because passive solar heating and cooling involves very few initial costs but will save you a lot of money in the long run. Also, building and/or creating a passive solar heating/cooling house is better for the environment – no electricity is used, no toxic products, etc.

So, how do you include both passive cooling and passive heating in your own home? Fortunately, methods used to passively heat your home can help cool it, and vice versa. Here are some examples:

· Use weather stripping – it helps lock the cold out of your house during the winter and the heat out in the summer.

· Insulation – this helps keep winter heat or summer cold from escaping. Look for high thermal mass insulation – such insulation will also store heat (or cold) and slowly disperse it. For instance, the mud bricks of an Adobe home will heat up during the day, and the slowly release that heat into the home during a cold night. Masonry walls and floors are good.

· Shutters – block out summertime sun with shutters. You can also close them during the winter months (at night, especially), to trap in the heat.

· South-facing windows – these windows will receive the most sun during the winter. The sun will shine in and warm interior surfaces. Of course, during the summer, you will want to have overhangs to keep the sun from shining in these windows. Of course, because the sun is at a lower angle in the winter, it is possible to have overhangs that block the sun during the summer and allow it in during the winter.

· Trees – deciduous trees provide summer shade but still let the sunlight through during the winter.

· Ground covers – ground cover plants can prevent reflection during the summer. They also keep the surface ground cooler (preventing re-radiation)

These are just a few examples of both passive heating and passive cooling methods that can be used with houses. More complex things can be done, as well, including installing good ventilation systems. Many of these passive heating/cooling methods are best when incorporated into a home when it is first being built, but many can still be incorporated into houses that are already standing. Also, consider the added benefits that you can have if you use both passive methods and active methods (like a solar power system)…

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