How to protect your solar water heater from low temperatures.
The solar water heater is an appliance that can be affected by the significant drop in temperature due to bad weather. The biggest risk for the water heater to be damaged is if it does not have the necessary amount of antifreeze.
Those who have had maintenance done recently are not at risk, since the maintenance tasks include checking the antifreeze. An important rule for the “health” of the solar water heater is to avoid as much as possible sudden expansions and contractions of its metals, which wear them out.
Thus, when it snows in winter, at the times when the lowest temperatures prevail (i.e. in the evening or early in the morning), it is advisable not to use the electrical resistance to heat the water in the water tank, precisely so that the temperature inside the tank does not rise sharply.
Until the “cold wave” passes, one tip is to turn off the water supply to the solar water heater in the evening hours and drain the water in the circuit. If this is not possible, alternatively it would be a good idea to leave a tap on the hot water circuit slightly open.
Again, if the water supply is not restored by defrosting the meter and the pipes near it, then you can try to melt any ice that may have formed on the pipes in the house. It will be best to start with the section of pipe near the switch so that the temperature change is gradual.
