Building a DIY solar air heater is a cost-efficient way to heat your garage during the winter months. Draw the energy from the sun to produce heat so you can continue to work in your garage or out building all winter without increasing the cost of your monthly utilities. A solar air heater is also an eco-friendly way to heat a garage (or home) with a renewable energy source so you will be leaving a smaller carbon footprint on the planet. Check out these 12 easy to build solar air heaters and choose the plans that are right for your heating needs this winter. You may also like to see diy solar pool heater and diy solar water heater. Also look at other renewable energy sources to produce heat such as wood burning heaters and diy solar panel.
$100 DIY Solar Water Heater
These diy solar air box heater plans will show you how to build a large heater for around $100. The large size enables the box heater to produce enough warmth harnessed from the sun to heat a large garage.
Pop Can Heat Collectors
These free solar air heater plans will show you how to build a heat collector from pop cans. It’s easy and those aluminum pop cans will heat the garage for you free of charge.
- Collect and clean enough pop cans.
- Cut the tops and bottoms out of each can.
- Glue the soda cans together in columns.
- Paint with a high-heat black paint.
- Build and install a manifold plus inlet and outlet vents.
- Build the frame and assemble the absorber.
- Install screen and baffle and place the pop can heat collector in full sun.4
Get the full instructions at builditsolar.com
DIY Soda Can Heater
If you drink a lot of soda, recycle those used cans into an efficient DIY solar powered air heater with these plans. The DIY build process is much like the previous one:
* Clean empty cans and remove the tops and drill holes in the bottom. Drill side holes in the bottom of 5 cans too.
* Build a shallow wood box that can hold 5 stacks of 10 soda cans and caulk the seams.
* Paint cans with black BBQ paint and glue into the box.
* Recycle parts from an old shop vacuum to create an air disperser.
* Build a frame for the box from PVC pipe. Attach box and place in full sun.
Get the full detail at hemmings.com
Large DIY Solar Air Heater
This large diy solar air heater also utilizes empty soda cans in the design. The large designs provides enough solar heat to keep a 1,000 square foot garage or home warm.
DIY Solar Panel Air Heater
Another ingenious design that enable you to build a solar garage heater using recycled soda cans.
- Clean the cans and punch out 3 holes in the bottom of each can. Paint can with high heat paint.
- Build a large box with six sections with a sheet of plywood and 1×1 wood strips. Create hole for intake and exhaust hoses.
- Use heat-resistant adhesive to glue to adhere cans inside the box.
- Attach a sheet of Plexiglas over the top and mount on the south side of the garage.
Find out full tutorial at freeonplate.com
Homemade Steel Can Solar Air Heater
Watch this step by step video on YouTube to learn how to build an affordable steel can diy solar room heater that will save you a ton of money on heating costs.
Shop DIY Solar Air Heater
Watch this instructional video for the details on how to build a solar space heater that produces enough hot air to heat an outdoor shop. Great for an art studio or shop that is detached from the main house.
Window Heater
Window air conditioning units have been around for decades providing cool air for one room. With these diy solar air heater plans you can build a DIY window heater that will provide dependable, efficient heat for one room.
- Create an aluminum frame (an old storm door frame is ideal) that will reach from the ground to the house window.
- Add blackboard and foam insulation board to collect heat from the sun.
- Place at a 45 degree angle in a south-facing window and enjoy the free warm air coming in the window.
Get the complete tutorial at motherearthnews.com
Screen Absorber DIY Solar Air Heater
This unit may be small in size, but it’s big in heat production. These easy to follow DIY solar heater plans are detailed in this YouTube video.
Convection DIY Solar Heater For Garage
These plans will show you how to create a large diy solar heater that fits securely on the exterior of your home. The large size enables this DIY heater to provide warmth for the entire house.
Cheap DIY Solar Air Heater
Recycle aluminum storm windows, aluminum cans, a couple of fans and some insulation board into an efficient diy garage heater. If you have the materials on hand, this solar heater could cost you almost nothing.
Easy To Build DIY Solar Air Heater
Lower your home heating costs significantly with this easy to build solar air heater. On sunny winter days, home heating costs will be slashed to zero. These plans allow you to build an efficient DIY heater for under $100.