Did you realize you can heat your house with solar forced air? Yes, it is true (to a certain extent). Basic physics teach us that hot air rises, and if you can capture hot air, then funnel it into your living space, you can heat up a sizable room with a very simple set up having just one small moving part.
I had seen this sort of set up online, but while out showing properties recently, I came upon one of these in action. It consisted of an approximately 4′ wide by 8′ high frame with a plexiglass front and inside was 4″ metal flexible ductwork all painted black to absorb as much solar energy as possible. At the bottom of the frame was an opening with a screen (to keep rodents out) and a similar opening at the top that fed duct work to the inside of the workshop. During the day, as the ductwork warms up, it draws up cooler air at the bottom, getting it warmer as it rises until it reaches the top. To aid the draw, a small 4″ electric fan was installed to pull the warm air into the room. This fan was plugged into a wall outlet, but you could just as easily connect a small computer cooling fan to a nine volt battery or a solar power fan just as well. Just do a google search and you’ll find examples like this one. This is a great addition to your homestead, off-the-grid house or bugout property. Its simple, inexpensive and with a rechargeable battery recharged with a solar charger, you could run this indefinitely, only it won’t work after the sun goes down. But on those cold sunny days in the mountains, it can be a great comfort maker!
