How To Introduce Solar Power For Homes

Considering introducing solar power into your home? Well, if so, you’ll be pleased to hear that I have gathered together some information so you can get a good idea of how much it will cost and exactly what the scale of the job is.

Start by deciding what percentage of your home are you going to be running on solar power. You could use solar power to provide a water-heating system. You could go to the furthest extreme and take your home completely off-grid thus ensuring the whole house is running on solar power. It’s up to you, but you have to find out the average amount of electricity your house uses per month.

To work out the average energy usage of your home, simply dig out your monthly electricity bills going back over the last two years. Get the calculator out. Be aware of the year’s peak times, like Christmas when you would normally go through a lot more power than normal. This way, we can establish your home’s solar power system so it can surely cope with all of your home’s energy demands.

Now, so you can sleep easy at nights, multiply that amount by a minimum of 1.5. If any extra appliances are brought into your house you remain fully covered. So, by the time you’ve done this you will know how much solar power you need. You will also be able to tell how many solar panels you will have to buy and what size they have to be.

In this day and age, you would almost always be best advised to look online when buying solar panels. Go to Ebay and enter the words “solar panel pallet” exactly as is. Sit back and be prepared to be amazed by the incredible bargains you will find there. If you think they seem expensive, please don’t forget that these prices are a one time cost and solar panels tend to last 25 to 30 years.

In every case, always employ a skilled, experienced solar power technician to install your solar power. You will find plenty online or in your telephone directory. Keep going until you have three quotations for the job, but don’t necessarily choose based entirely on the price. Cost is important, but you may feel more confident to get a job well done from an experienced solar power technician when installing solar power for homes.

You will also have to shop around for a good quality inverter. Solar panels give out direct (DC) current when harnessing the sun’s energy. The inverter will convert this DC current into alternating (AC) current from which we can all enjoy running all our electrical toys and gizmos.

Roughly costing $2,000 plus maybe $500 for installation, inverters will last you roughly 10 years. Bare in mind solar panels.

If you want to go off the grid completely, it is essential that you use good quality batteries to store the excess solar power you pull down on sunny days. Use this reserve of power to run your home’s electrical needs at night-time. The deep-cycle batteries will probably cost $50 to $100. I suggest you buy 10 of them. Their longevity is not so good as the inverter. Expect to have to replace them every 3-5 years.

Always ask your local authorities if they will give you any assistance for the cost of installing solar energy. Most local authorities offer tax credits. Ask your local utility company as well. They might have some good incentives or special deals. Do this right and you could save 50% off the total cost or more.

Although it is essential you get a qualified electrician, it’s reassuring to know that installing solar energy doesn’t mean you have to have a lot of electrical work. normally, the older the house, the more additional rewiring will be needed. However, this is not often an extensive job. I repeat though, be sure to use an experienced, qualified electrician.

Always remember that solar power is a long-term investment. When estimating the value of installing solar power, the question is, “What is the payback time?” After knowing that you now have a house that will be enjoying free electricity for many years to come!

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