Editable Area:

 

 

 

A long life with little to no maintenance

 

 



High performance -- comparable to commercial collectors

To look nice (or at least not look ugly)

Low cost for a rapid payback

Easy to build with locally available materials
 

 

Twinwall Polycarbonate glazing.

Twinwall is a high quality glazing that is often used in greenhouses and sunspaces.  It is two sheets of polycarbonate spaced apart by closely spaced webs between the sheets. 

It has a co-extruded coating on the outside that stops UV light -- this protects the polycarbonate from UV damage over time.

 

Twin wall is a form of double glazing, which reduces the heat loss from the collector and improves performance in cold climates.  There is a trade off here in that the 2nd pane also absorbs some sunlight, but for cold climates there is a definite performance gain.

 

The twinwall is flat and is easier to work with and to get a good seal than the corrugated polycarbonate glazing I have used on most past collectors.  

 

The twin wall is very durable, very impact resistant, and will stand up to high temperatures.

 

Its has a nice look.