Business Reflection #3

Fredericton man builds $300 solar furnace, decreases heating bill

Source: CBC.ca - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-man-builds-300-solar-furnace-decreases-heating-bill-1.2527065

Date: February 7, 2014

    The prices of heating a home in the winter can be extremely costly! A man named Randy Buchanan in Fredericton, however, has created his own way of heating his home for very little expense. Using $300, an old window, some aluminum eaves trough downspouts, soda cans, and a fan, Buchanan built a solar furnace that heats his home efficiently. Other than the initial cost of building the furnace and the cost of running the fan, his heating bill is decreasing greatly.

    I think this is simply a brilliant idea! Any way to save money on heating is fantastic, and the fact that it is environmentally friendly is just a bonus! Buchanan has stated that he thinks everyone should have one of these solar furnaces on their home, and it is hard to disagree! It is a very small cost that will, in the long run, save you a lot of money!

    There are, however, many flaws to the solar furnace. The article does not state whether the furnace is capable of storing the solar heat to use at night or when the sun is not out. If there is no way of doing this, than an alternate source of heat is necessary. The article also does not state how to control the temperature of the heat coming into the house. If there is no way of toggling the temperature, than this poses a very serious problem. This particular solar furnace seems to serve more as a prototype than an actual fully functioning product.

    With all of the potential flaws and rough design, I do not think this particular solar furnace is ideal. Perhaps with modifications and a more sufficient product in general, this could be a serious consideration for heating your home. Either way, if someone plans on using a solar furnace they would be wise to have a second alternative for heating their home as well.