Solar hot water giving you cold showers? Eight tips to warm you up

In Australian homes, reliable hot water supplies for taking showers or bathing the kids are taken for granted. But this has a significant cost - conventional hot water heaters can account for up to 30% of household energy use and can be significant carbon emitters. One alternative is solar hot water, which can supply more than 90% of household hot water and reduce energy bills by 50-85%, as well as lowering carbon emissions. Unfortunately, it is likely that households are not getting the most from their solar hot water systems. In Australia and overseas, there is evidence that the potential of solar hot water is not being realised. So how can you can get the most out of your solar hot water system?