Since 1973 the U.S. has experienced the evolution of a reborn use of solar energy for space and water heating. Many systems installed during this period have performed satisfactorily, but a surprisingly large number have not operated well. These failures are due to misdesign, misinstallation, or mismatch between technologies.

Based upon systems whose operation is satisfactory, nine strategies are suggested. Three examples are presented of systems that did not perform satisfactorily. Two of these are houses using heat pumps; an air-cooled array assists one; a liquid cooled array the other . One system enjoyed federal funding; the other did not. The third example employed a 4000 ft² (372 m²) array in conjunction with a Rankine turbine to produce electric energy as well as direct space heating. Remedies are presented for these malfunctioning examples.

Units: Dual