Households

Funded by the Province of British Columbia and Natural Resources Canada from 2008 to 2010, the SolarBC residential program was the most successful of 14 similar projects across Canada

Happy family

Some SolarBC achievements are:

  • 546 households across BC installed solar hot water
  • 54 people achieved their CanSIA Solar Hot Water Installer Certification, more than any other province in Canada
  • 32 Registered SolarBC Contractors were servicing local communities across the province
  • 86% of participants said they were happy with their system and 96% said they would recommend solar hot water to their friends and family.
  • 88 systems were inspected and monitors are being installed in 24 homes to help measure real savings.
  • Total energy savings estimated at 4,353 GJ every year and GHG emission reductions of 94 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year
  • Estimated savings on utility bills of over $4.2 million dollars, with 20% of participants already reporting that they have seen a reduction in their bills

The SolarBC Residential Program ended as of December 31, 2010.

Are you thinking about installing solar hot water on your home? Below are some tips and advice to help you decide what will work best for you and how to go about the right steps for a worry-free install.

Step 1: Is Solar Hot Water Right For You?

There are some simple ways for you to find out if your home is suitable for solar hot water. Before you start, make sure you check:

  • Your home has at least 6 square meters of south-facing roof space
  • There is no shade or limited shade from 10am to 4pm on the south-facing part of the roof
  • You own the property, or if you are a tenant, you have obtained the owner's permission
  • You understand what permits you need from your local government. 

Read more about how solar hot water works on our Solar Hot Water Simplified page.

 

Photos and Case Studies

Have a look through our Flickr photo gallery to see pictures of homeowners and their installs, Local Government, Schools and First Nations’ installs as well as SolarBC events around the province. You can also read more about how solar hot water is making a difference in people’s lives on our Solar Champions page. Below are a few homeowners’ stories:

 

 

Step 2: Understand the Costs and Incentives Available

Under the SolarBC residential program, the average cost for a solar hot water system was approximately $7,200. This average price includes smaller systems for 2 to 3 person households and larger, more expensive systems for households of four or more people.

Individual costs will vary depending on which installer and system you use, how many people live in your home, the size and performance of your system in terms of energy savings that can be achieved. There may also be additional costs associated with travel to more remote areas of the province. Under our residential program, the installed cost of systems ranged from $4,000 to $9,500.

Although the SolarBC incentives for residential homes ended on December 31st 2010, there are still incentives available through other programs that can help to offset the cost of installing solar hot water:

Check with your local government to see if they have incentives available, and also remember to check that you understand the eligibility criteria for each program before you apply.

Step 3: Choosing a system and an Installer

Before you install a solar hot water system, you should take time to research the different types of systems available, the installation costs, energy saving potential and which system is best suited to your individual needs.

You should use an installation company that has at least one Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) certified solar hot water installer on staff. Check out the directory of certifed installers.

Our systems directory  lists solar hot water systems that were registered with SolarBC prior to December 31, 2010.   Their registration was based on their ability to meet the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) F379 standard. 

SolarBC does not monitor the installations of certified installers and does not warranty the performance of any of the installers or systems in these directories. It is the responsibiity of the homeowner to do due diligence to ensure that a high quality system and a qualified installer are used for the installation. SolarBC recommends that homeowners note the Best Practice Guidelines provided on our Installation Guide page.

Further Reading

 

  • For an comprehensive introduction to solar hot water heating systems click here.
  • For a detailed buyers guide to solar hot water heating systems click here.
  • Read more on the available grants and incentives on our incentives and costs page.