Solar Tour #2 Solar Water Heating System

Participants will walk 2-3 blocks to the St. Francis House (a hospitality house and shelter for the homeless) to see their solar hot water system. This Grumman Sunstream system was installed in 1985 by Solar House of Jefferson City and has functioned very effectively for 25 years. St. Francis House chose to install the system based on social, economic and environmental considerations. The trustees of the St. Francis House, faced with an increasing number of homeless people and ever-increasing utility bills, decided to invest a $5000 gift in the solar option. Statistics: 3- Model 60F collectors, all copper fluid passages, copper wrap-around heat exchanger, net collector area = 73.5 square feet, storage = 100 gallons, exterior pipe insulation = R-5.2 foam rubber. The trustees say they have saved many times the original investment in avoided utility bills.