To start with you want to figure on a size. The one I built was 4x8 and did a wonderful job keeping the house warm. It was so big it would not fit standing up. You will have to determine where the sun is most of the time. I put mine on the south side of the house it would get sun most of the day there. It was the coolest thing in the world when I woke up and could smell fresh wood and hear the fan running. You can even build small ones to put in the window to help keep just one room warm. The one I put up went in one room and out another so I was pulling cold air from another room. Once it is all built and ready and you mount it on your home and depending on how you power the fan. You will have nothing else to do kinda set it and forget it type of thing. I think this is by far the easiest ways to use the renewable energy from the sun. The best thing was the cost of making it all together less than 300 dollars. You never have to worry about it, it won`t get hot enough to catch fire and in the summer time just cover it up. There was a tree in front of mine so in the summer time it was covered by the tree.Other than the fan it never need fuel the sun will take care of the fuel part. Click here for information on this and many other do it yourself home energy projects