Hello,

I have a cottage in Maine that I'm considering heating with solar.  The total space is approx 1300sq ft.  I currently heat the home with a K-1 Toyo heater located in a 400 sq ft room with cathedral ceilings.  A large fan has been installed at the peak of the room to force air back down.  Of course, we have many cold spots in the house since we are using a single source heater.  We also have a very tight addition (300) sq ft that uses a gas heater.  Our total energy use during the winter months are approximately 200 gallons on K-1 and 125 gallons of propane.  We also have a wood stove in the new room and if we are home, use about a cord of wood during the winter months.

I'm providing this information to give you an idea of how much energy we need to heat the home in hopes of determining the correct size solar system.  

My goal would be to have the solar heating system provide domestic hot water for showers and other hot water needs, which is currently provided by a single 30 gallon electric hot water system, and to install a radiant heat tubes throughout the wood floor system which I have access to in the basement.  I would also like to have some type of radiator in the basement to keep that space above 50 degrees.  I would also like to entertain a backup heat source such as a Rennai hot water heater to make sure I can keep my water supply at the proper temperature for my heating purposes.  

I know you advocate that your systems are DIY capable but I may have to hire someone with some experience to provide support.

I also am wondering what kind of Federal Tax Credits would be allowed for this type of system.  Your website says 30% but is there a moneytary cap to that %.

Thanks for your guidance on making the right decision for my needs.