How to make a homemade solar heater

Many times, when we hear about a heating system, we think of a very high expense in exchange for some comfort, but the reality is that, in some cases, extreme climates can become very dangerous for us, affecting our health seriously, even being able to cause us death. This is because the human body has the basic need to maintain body temperature as a basic need.

The market is full of efficient heating models, but in case you want to save a little money or you are simply a handyman at home and you cannot sit still, you always have the alternative of manufacturing a heater at home and with recyclable materials.. In addition, these inventions offer great advantages to users who install them in their homes, such as a significant reduction in cold, as well as a large reduction in electricity bills, since they are heating systems that work with solar energy.

If you are a person with ecological sensitivity and you are looking to heat your home without the environmental cost required by heaters that work with fossil fuels, the perfect alternative is the manufacture of solar heating at home, which will not have any type of negative impact on the environment. environment or your home. On the contrary, it will help you achieve a comfortable temperature inside the house.

In this case, the sun is considered your best ally, so it is highly important to let the sun enter your house for as long as possible, helping you keep it warm, which is very important especially on cold days. of winter. For this reason, we try to take advantage of the heat and energy that the sun emits directly to reuse it for our benefit.

However, if your house has unstoppable heat leaks through the windows or doors, which make it impossible for the room to acquire the desired temperature and maintain it, you must make the necessary adjustments and pay attention to all the tips and keys to have a home properly isolated and ecological.

When we investigate about solar heating systems made at home, we will find that there is a wide variety of models, which vary in terms of manufacturing complexity, materials and initial investment.

For example, the solar heater for air collection with thermosyphon consists of a polycarbonate panel that receives light and heat from the sun. An absorption system is responsible for capturing that heat, so the air that circulates around it heats up, so it becomes lighter and rises, creating a current of hot air by convection.

In general, the vast majority of air heating systems use one or more vents that allow air to circulate, which enters cold through the window located at the bottom of the solar heater. Inside the heater, the air is heated and rises to the top vents, where it travels back into your home. This cycle does not stop as long as the sun is facing the heater.

Precautions you should take into account when building a solar heater

The first thing you should do is locate the place in your home that needs to raise its temperature, without forgetting that, when working with solar energy directly, you should consider that the room is at a point where it can receive the greatest amount of sunlight during the day. more time.

On the other hand, it is very important that you take into account that you will not be able to replace any previous heating system, since it is an ecological and economical alternative to large electric and gas systems, so it will not have the same working response.. In this sense, it is necessary to highlight that in order to heat a house completely, it will be necessary to manufacture a large solar heater or, failing that, several medium-sized ones distributed throughout the house.

After some tests carried out by a group of users, it was determined that the medium-sized home solar heating system manages to keep a room of approximately 20 square meters at about 21 degrees Celsius, if there has been sunshine, for most of the day.

How to make a homemade solar heater with cans?

Next, we explain how to make a homemade solar heating system using aluminum cans.

First of all, you must wash the cans very well, several times, if necessary, until there is no residue of the liquid that they previously contained inside. Then, using a tool such as an awl, punch several holes into the bottom of each of the cans, necessary for smooth, uninterrupted air circulation.

Hold each can and remove the top, which is the side where the spout goes, leaving the opening uncovered. Then, use silicone or some type of glue that supports high temperatures to join the cans, since this system is exposed directly to the sun for a long time. Keep in mind that it is best to make several rows of cans that occupy the entire frame of the heater that you are manufacturing, leaving a certain resemblance to radiators.

When you have all the cans glued and attached to the frame, make sure you allow enough time for the glue to dry completely. Afterwards, it is recommended to paint all the can columns black, to absorb more heat.

After the paint on the cans has dried, you must place them inside the box or wooden frame that you must have previously prepared and that is approximately the same size as the “wall” of cans that you have joined and painted. 

Take the measurement and separation distance between each can and drill some holes of the diameter of the cans in some boards, so that you can fit the wall of cans and, in turn, function as a support for them.

Finally, cover the face of the box opposite the cans with an acrylic or polycarbonate sheet, which will have the function of isolating the heater, creating a kind of chamber that will collect the sun’s rays.