When I walked into my first fully integrated solar home, I thought it would be my first and last. The house had drums spread out across the landscape and I wasn’t entirely sure if that’s where they stored the body parts of their past visitors or that now I was a witness to their underground drug manufacturing scene. It turns out the drums were safely filled with nothing but water and that it was a crucial way to get even more output from their delightful and non-crime scene solar home.
Much to my pleasant surprise, I found out the water drums helped this energy conscious family get even more out of their investment. It turns out if you place the water drums near a window, they will absorb the heat during the day. Then, as the sun sets the water drums will let out some of the steam into the air and it will keep the temperature at a comfortable level in any given room.
This also helps cool the house down during the day as the water drums suck the warmth out of the air. Water changes temperature slower than air and although these water drums can be an eyesore to your décor, they save a tremendous amount of money and can be conveniently stored when potential victims, I mean neighbors, come over for your surprise casserole.
I didn’t know that water drums has this functionality. I can use water drums instead of “watering” our outside walls to cool our house.