Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past ten years or so, you’ve probably already heard about the benefits of having a solar-powered home.
Solar panels are considered as investments that practically pay for themselves in a few years. When you use solar panels, you’re basically converting the free power of the sun into energy that your home can use. Ideally however, much surplus energy your solar panel system produces can be sent back to the grid, sold off, and credited to you. Not only do you start saving on your monthly bill as soon as you turn them on, wanting to reduce your electric bill by using solar power is a good step towards going green. You’ll be cutting down on your carbon footprint, saving the environment from about an extra 1.5 tons of carbon every year.
But if you want to transform your home into a solar-powered one, you have a lot to consider.
First off is the cost. When it was first introduced, solar panel material and installation prices would cost an arm and a leg, costing the average homeowner at least $20,000. These days, government rebates and market expansions significantly reduced the prices for both materials and installation. However, it could still cost you up to $10,000 for the materials and installation. You’d also need to know if your roof can handle solar panels. If not, you’re going to have to pay for a roof upgrade as well.
Next consideration is the company you’d choose for the installation. It would be great if they could provide references of past related work, but it should be an absolute requirement that they are accredited and certified by a national association. A good installer will also provide you with more information about rebates. Solar panel systems usually have a lifespan of 20 years or more, but you can always ask a prospective installer about warranties for this life-changing investment. You shouldn’t choose a type of solar panel based on cost alone, and the same goes when choosing a solar panel installer.
Another consideration is your location. Google’s Project Sunroof is a great tool that can check your home for solar viability. It provides a summarized report of a location’s potential which depends on the usable sunlight and available roof in square feet. It even has a handy little report on how much potential a roof has depending on its inclination and where it’s facing! But hands down, its best feature is that it can estimate how much you could save with a solar panel system, and how much you could help the environment in terms of the avoided carbon dioxide emissions measured in metric tons!
The green revolution has long ago started, but it’s never too late to join the movement! If you want to know more, you can go here for more information on Green energy.