Solar Power: Living A Sunny Kind Of Life

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your energy costs and benefit the planet simultaneously, you may have looked into using solar power to heat your home. Maybe you’re ready to take the next step, and are wondering how to convert your home from traditional gas and/or electric to solar power. Before you embark upon this journey, there are some important things to do to prepare yourself, and to get your home ready.

First, do your homework. Spending a few days doing some research on how solar power works, and what is needed to transition smoothly, will help you to make the decision of whether or not this is a viable option for you. Look into your current electricity usage, and whether making the switch would truly result in savings. Evaluate the cost of installing the necessary solar panels and other equipment, and consider how such installation would be financed. Look into the requirements for financing, and consider how it may affect your credit or your current financial situation. Also, consider your home, and how difficult it would be to install the panels.

Generally, the panels are installed on the roof, but they can be located anywhere on the residence that receives a great deal of sunlight throughout the day. If you chose to mount the panels on roof, consider if the process would require major adjustments or the removal of a significant portion of the existing roofing? If you placed them on other parts of the house, would major renovations be necessary? It is a good idea to arrange to have an on-site evaluation done, so that an expert can answer any questions you may have, and provide an in depth profile in order to create a system that is customized to suit the needs of your household. Be sure to consult with more than one consultant, as prices can vary considerably from one individual to another.

Next, consider the areas surrounding your home. In order to get the maximum benefit of solar power, there needs to be a large area where the sunlight can be channeled into the solar panels on your roof without interruptions or blockages. This is how the energy that will run your appliances and other devices is produced. If you live in an area where there is heavy cloud cover or there are frequent periods of rain, you will receive fewer benefits from converting to solar energy than someone who lives in a drier and sunnier region. Another thing that can significantly impact the amount of sunlight your homes gets is the area’s geography. Tall trees, mountains, and hills can all reduce the amount of sun that makes it to the solar panels. If there is only one tree blocking the light, it may be worthwhile to trim it back or remove it entirely. If there are a number of trees, you may need to reconsider the feasibility of converting, as many communities have laws regarding the number of trees that can be removed, the types of trees that are allowed to be removed, and other restrictions.

If you feel that transitioning to solar power is a feasible option, consider how the work will be done. Many companies offer a do-it-yourself installation kit. However, if you are not familiar with electronics, you may need to have an electrician to assist you in successfully getting everything set up, particularly when it comes to connecting to the home’s electricity grid. If you have the installation done by a contractor, take into account how long it will take before the system is built and functioning. While the actual installation process may only take a few days, building the complete system could take several months, depending on the time of year you have it done. Be sure that you have all the permits and permissions from your local authorities, homeowners’ association, or other entities before work begins, and contact your utility company to see if they need to assist in the process as well.