Been reading up lately about passive solar heating, and I'm kinda intrigued by the idea of combining south-facing windows with thermal mass (like concrete floors or brick walls) to keep the house warm in winter. Seems like a smart way to cut down on heating bills, but I'm wondering how practical it really is. Like, does it actually make a noticeable difference in comfort levels, or is it more of a subtle thing?
Also curious if anyone's tried this in colder climates—I'm talking real winters here, not just mild chilly days. I mean, I love the idea of soaking up free heat from the sun during the day and having it slowly release overnight, but does it really work as advertised? Or do you end up needing backup heat anyway?
If you've done something similar or know someone who has, I'd appreciate hearing how it's worked out—good or bad. Just trying to figure out if it's worth investing in before I dive into any remodeling projects...
"I mean, I love the idea of soaking up free heat from the sun during the day and having it slowly release overnight, but does it really work as advertised?"
We did something similar when we remodeled our place about five years ago—big south-facing windows and a concrete slab floor. Honestly, it's a mixed bag. On sunny winter days, it's noticeably warmer inside, and the floor stays comfy into the evening. But during cloudy stretches or deep cold snaps (we're in Minnesota), we definitely still need backup heat. It's helpful, just don't expect miracles...
We've installed quite a few setups like this, and honestly, your mileage really depends on where you live. If you're somewhere with clear winter skies, it can genuinely help trim your heating bill. But if you're dealing with long stretches of cloudy weather, it's more of a nice bonus rather than a total heating solution. Also, big windows can mean heat loss at night, so make sure you've got decent insulation or heavy curtains...otherwise, you'll just be heating the outdoors!
I put in big south-facing windows and thermal mass flooring about three years ago. Definitely agree that cloudy weather limits effectiveness, but even on partly sunny days, I notice a difference. The real trick is keeping that heat overnight—heavy curtains made a huge difference for me.
I've had south-facing windows with concrete floors for about five years now. Here's what I've noticed:
1. Sunny winter days definitely warm the place nicely—sometimes enough to skip turning on the heat entirely.
2. Cloudy stretches mean you'll still need backup heating, no way around it.
3. Agree about curtains or blinds at night; without them, you lose a lot of the heat gained during the day.
Overall, it's practical and worth doing, but don't expect miracles in harsh winters.
"Cloudy stretches mean you'll still need backup heating, no way around it."
Couldn't agree more. Been running a similar setup for years—south-facing windows and tile floors. Great on sunny days, but cloudy weeks... yeah, that's when the sweaters come out. Still beats relying solely on the furnace though.
Yeah, cloudy days can be a drag, but honestly, even then the thermal mass setup helps smooth things out. I've noticed my place stays comfy longer into the evening compared to before. Still gotta have that backup heat handy though... sweaters only go so far, haha.
"even then the thermal mass setup helps smooth things out."
Exactly—thermal mass setups really do even out those temp swings, cloudy or not. Backup heat's smart, though. Windows alone can't do it all... learned that the chilly way myself last winter, lol.
I was skeptical about thermal mass at first—seemed like a lot of work for questionable payoff. But after visiting my brother-in-law's place, I'm reconsidering. He built this big stone wall behind his south-facing windows, and even on cloudy days, the room felt noticeably warmer than mine. Still wouldn't ditch backup heat entirely, though... learned my lesson when the furnace quit mid-January. Windows alone definitely won't cut it in a cold snap.
I was kind of in the same boat—I thought thermal mass sounded like one of those trendy things people do just to look eco-friendly, you know? But then we stayed at a friend's cabin last winter, and they had this thick brick wall behind their big windows. Even though it was freezing and snowy outside, that room was so cozy. We barely needed the fireplace going most of the day, which surprised me. Still, I'm with you—wouldn't trust it completely without backup heat. Our furnace went out once too (why does that always seem to happen on the coldest days?), and we were miserable until the repair guy showed up.
I'm actually curious if anyone's tried using water barrels or something similar instead of stone or brick for thermal mass. I've seen some setups online, and they're supposed to work pretty well, but I'm wondering about practical stuff like leaks or maintenance. Stone walls look great, but they're kind of permanent and expensive... water barrels seem like a cheaper alternative. Wonder if they'd be just as effective?