Heat Storage

Passive solar heating is accomplished by allowing the Winter sun to heat up living space air and an internal mass which releases heat later in the day or night. The radiant heat from the sun must be allowed to enter through South-facing windows and be captured by surfaces that are painted dark colors (black is best).

A Trombe wall or floor mass is constructed of concrete, rocks and sand. These items are inexpensive and require no moving parts. To be fair, insulation should be placed over the windows at night so heat will not escape. There are a variety of insulated curtains, blinds or panels that can be placed over windows to decrease heat loss at night. The homeowner will need to be creative to obtain and use this insulation. This insulation is removed, of course, the following day to allow the sun once again to heat up the living space and internal mass.