My efforts at frugal living

[Kaleva]

18. I haven't thought about it.

But got interested after reading your question earlier and looked at various sites on line on how to build one. I already have much of the materials on hand (having worked in the heating and plumbing business) and it could be a project to do during this coming winter to construct it.

Off the top of my head, it'd be something located at ground level right next to the hose with no digging to bury the lines and installed in such a way, it'd be easy to isolate, drain out, and cart into my garage for storage for the cold season and just as easy to set back up when the weather gets warm again.

The reason for removing it during the cold months is the place where I could put the solar water heater at ground level would be a location where it could get damaged from falling ice from the roof of the house.

A customer of mine some time ago gave me an used indirect water heater as part payment on a bill he owed me and that's in my garage. He didn't need it anymore after he had me put it a tankless water heater for him. So that could be used as my storage tank/heat exchanger. I also have plenty of pex piping and associate fittings along with other fittings and valves. The glass can be the old storm windows that are also in the garage. The pump could be controlled by a timer so the water to the solar heater is running only when the sun is on that side of the house.

My gas bill right now is minimal but that's due to me using very little hot water. Such a setup would allow me to wash clothes in warm or hot water and do cleaning with hot water. At least during the warm months.