The Dover Sun House was completed in Dover, Massachusetts. This solar-heated home was a highly publicized project that aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of solar heating using Glauber's salt for thermal energy storage.

Initially, the Dover Sun House performed well and garnered significant attention. The thermal storage system effectively captured and stored solar energy, providing heat for the residents.

Problems emerged with the Glauber's salt storage system. The salt tended to stratify, losing its ability to melt and solidify uniformly, which reduced its heat-storing capacity. This stratification was not completely understood, and this resulted in the long-term failure of the house as a demonstration project.

As the Glauber's salt system deteriorated, the heating efficiency of the Dover Sun House declined significantly. The house struggled to maintain a comfortable temperature during cold periods.

The failure of the Dover Sun House led to negative publicity and criticism of Mária Telkes' work. The project became a cautionary tale about the challenges of implementing new technologies, despite the fact that the overall concept was sound.

The problems with the Dover Sun House had a negative impact on Telkes' career. The criticisms she faced contributed to her decision to leave MIT, and it made it more difficult to obtain funding for her future research projects, despite the potential.