Solar energy is a promising source for water heating in the household sector in Brazil. However, despite its large potential, its use is still limited in the country. This study explores the technical-economic potential of Solar Water Heating (SWH) systems in the household sector in Brazil, dividing the country in different climate zones and using a variety of parameters and site-specific conditions. The analysis considers several parameters from household electricity consumers to assess their willingness to install a SWH system in their homes. The model proposed is based on a parametric tool and is supported by the RETScreen model. A Geographical Information System (GIS) is used for spatial analysis. Results indicate the best sites to implement SWH systems in Brazil, as well as their technical-economic potential until 2050. The analysis shows that SWH systems are economically feasible for 17.9% of considered cases by 2020, leading to savings of up to 15.54 TWh/yr. Despite not having the best solar resources, the South region of the country has the best sites while the Southeast region has the best economic potential. Family size, equipment installation costs and energy costs play major roles in the economic feasibility of SWH systems deployment in Brazil. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.