Final Weekend of the Month Clearance on Solar Hot Water Systems & Open House

We're hosting an open house demonstration & installation seminar from 9am-4pm this Saturday! Come out to our offices for refreshment and lively discussion regarding solar hot water in YOUR home. "Final Weekend of the Month Clearance" on off-test Solar Hot Water Systems, sold complete! See pricing below:

• $1,750 - 80 gallon drainback with two 4'x8' Novan flat plate collectors.
• $2,000 - 80 gallon "E" drainback with internal electric element: One 4'x10' flat plate collector.
• $1,850 - 80 gallon drainback with new Suntask 30 tube heat pipe evacuated tube array.
• $2,000 - 120 gallon glycol system with two 20 tube heat pipe evacuated tube array.

System installed value between $5,500 - $8,000. So as you can see, this is a particularly low price for a solar hot water system. This event will be the first "Final Weekend of the Month Clearance" sale. We will hold our open house from 9am-4pm at our offices in Perry, KS. with free demos and installation seminar. Click here for directions »

HLN Money Expert Clark Howard Installs Solar Collectors on His Roof

Sure this guy is kind of a goof-ball, and looks a skinny Steve Carell in this screenshot, but he's right on target with this bit on solar hot water collectors. He had one installed at his home this summer and did a special on it to highlight the simplicity, efficiency, and savings associated with installing a solar hot water system in your home. Check the video out right here.

Solar Hot Water Heater Coming to the White House

That's right -- putting their money where their mouth is on their commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy, and the jobs it will create here at home! Sounds great. Although Jimmy Carter made the first attempt to jump-start the solar power movement back in the 70's by installing solar panels on the White House. Then the Regan Administration pulled them down when he moved in. Boo. 


Well, we're back, baby. The solar panel system on the White House, which should be installed by next spring, will convert sunlight directly to electricity, while the solar hot water heater will have a solar collector facing the sun to heat water for use in the White House residence. This announcement came on the one year anniversary of an executive order that called on the federal government to lead in the establishment of a clean energy economy. Read the whole article here.

Who Killed the Solar Hot Water Heater?

Awesome article from www.getsolar.com about the Rise & Fall of Solar Hot Water Systems in the U.S. 

All over the world, everyone is making (or has already made) the economical and environmentally sound change to solar hot water. It's reliable. It's way less expensive. It's simple. Seriously... all over the world they're doing this. Why haven't we done so here in the States? Read on:

Turns out, solar hot water was becoming increasingly popular in the 70's and 80's due to great gov't incentives passed by the Carter Administration. However, the rapidly-expanding-market (without much oversight) led to lowered quality systems and bad install jobs. This, combined with the Federal Gov't later cutting the incentives program, gave solar hot water a very bad rap as being uneconomical and an ineffective means of heating  your water.

Well, times they-are-a-changin'.

The government has reinstated absolutely KILLER incentives and rebates to make solar hot water heaters unbelievably affordable (up to 70% paid for in some states! No joke). The technology and refinement of the solar hot water system has been refined. Our patented Simple Drainback System is second to none in efficiency and simplicity. Today's competition (unlike the solar boom in the 70's and 80's) demands reliable systems and perfect installation jobs every time.

Want to dig a little deeper into the possibilities available to you through solar hot water? Read on.

SHEM's New Website

Check out our newly designed website - -  your headquarters for all things solar. We have developed an entire range of solar thermal solutions for every imaginable application. In our website you’ll find solutions for many solar thermal needs, from domestic hot water to industrial or commercial process heating.


Come take a look at what we have to offer at www.simpledrainback.com

Solar Water Heaters Now Mandatory In Hawaii

Starting this year, Hawaii has become the first state to require solar water heaters in new homes. The bill was signed into law by Governor Linda Lingle in 2008. The law prohibits the issuing of building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters. Hawaii relies on imported fossil fuels more than any other state, with about 90 percent of its energy sources coming from foreign countries, according to state data.


State Sen. Gary Hooser, vice chairman of the Energy and Environment Committee, first introduced the measure eight years ago when he said a barrel of oil cost just $40. Since then, the cost of oil has more than tripled! It's unbelievable how much the price of oil has risen in such a short amount of time.

Should this bill be passed for other states in the Continental US?  There's probably a positive gain for requiring solar hot water heaters in tropical areas like Hawaii, but to pass this law in parts of the country that endure longer, darker winters probably wouldn't be quite the same. Something to chew on.

Solar Thermal Challenge Hosted By SHEM

The Challenge: Efficient design of solar thermal in residential new construction.
The Prize: Construction and monitoring of winning selection.
The Payoff: $1,000 in prizes for top three selections.

The Contest
Using Google Sketchup, the free Google 3-D drawing program (available here for free download), two model structures have been provided. Roof orientation varies, from 3/12 southfacing to 12/12 north/south orientations.Any product, and any manufacturer is invited to submit qualified bids. The intent of the program is to construct the buildings, then monitor and report results.Pre-deadline bidders conference to be held at Solar Heat Exchange Manufacturing's westcoast warehouse and factory support center at the Morrow ranch in Redding, CA. At that conference, Jeff Morrow will conduct a seminar on sizing and diagramming systems.

The Conference
Our conference will be held the first weekend in August (August 6,7 & 8th, 2010) at the Solar Heat Exchange Manufacturing's West Coast Warehouse & Factory Support Center at the Morrow Ranch in Redding, CA. Beginning with a Friday night mixer, speakers and seminars are to follow on Saturday and Sunday. Accommodations are available.

Guest Speakers - Friday
Bruce Ewing - Mid America Heating & Plumbing, Manhattan, KS. The founder of Solar Heat Exchange Manufacturing, will be making the opening remarks of conference.
Jeff Morrow - Solar Heat Exchange Manufacturing, Perry, KS. One line diagramming: system sizing and communicating plumbing details.
Jeff Shaw - Gulf South Solar, Lafayette, LA. Training, marketing and business development. The story of a seasoned dealer.

Guest Speakers - Saturday
Bryan Tumolo - SPS Industries, Albuquerque, NM. Discussing the issues regarding the installation of evacuated tubes and large scale thermal.
Michael Hopson - Covington, LA. The realities of becomming a new solar thermal dealer. Lessons learned in solar dealing.
Tom Dinkel - SunReports, San Francisco, CA. Hosts the discussion on the benefits of web based solar monitoring.

Please contact us to attend and/or participate in the challenge.