A solar water heating system should operate for 20 to 30 years, if you know how it works and maintain it well. Choose a high-quality installer and system with a solid warranty.

Contractors typically offer service warranties of 1-5 years.  Look for manufacturer warranties of 5-15 years for collectors and 5-15 years for the storage tank.

Maintenance usually is fairly simple:

• Drain passive systems annually to remove debris in the plumbing.
• Check antifreeze solution every year, top it off when necessary and replace every 5 years.
• Learn to recognize if the system is not working properly.
• Replace pumps or other parts that may fail during the system’s life.