Heres How You Can Introduce Solar Power For Your Home

Posted on timeJune 25th, 2009 by userGrace


Are you thinking of installing solar power? 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.

Make a decision about how much of your house do you actually want to be run on solar power. You could use solar power to heat your water tank. You could go to the furthest extreme and go 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 calculate the average energy usage of your home, simply dig out your monthly electricity bills for 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. We are trying to set up your home’s solar power system so it can surely cope with whatever demands your home may plave upon it.

Now, for your security and peace of mind, 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. This will also enable you to tell how many solar panels you will have to buy and what size they must be.

In this day and age, you would almost always be best advised to look online when buying solar panels. Go to Ebay with 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 bare in mind that these prices are a one time cost and solar panels tend to have a lifetime of at least 25 years.

Without exception, always employ a skilled, experienced tradesman to install your solar power. You will find plenty online or in your telephone directory. Don’t stop until you have three quotations for the job, but don’t necessarily make your decision based only on the price. Cost is important, but you can gain extra reassurance of a job well done from an established tradesman 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 together with perhaps $500 for installation, inverters will last you roughly 10 years. Don’t forgetIf you want to go off the grid completely, good quality batteries are essential to store the excess solar power harvest on sunny days. This reserve of energy can then be used to run your home’s electrical needs at night-time. The deep-cycle batteries will probably cost $50 to $100. You will probably need to buy about 10 of them. Their longevity is not so good as the inverter. Expect to have to get new ones every 3-5 years.

Be sure to enquire if you can get any support from local government for the price of installing solar energy. Most local authorities offer tax credits. Ask your local utility company as well. They may give you a special deal or give you some incentive package perhaps. Do this right and you could save 50% off the total cost or more.

Although you absolutely have to get a qualified electrician, you’ll be pleased to hear that installing solar energy doesn’t have to involve a lot of electrical work. rewiring it will need. However, this is not often an extensive job. I repeat though, be sure to use a qualified, experienced electrician.

Solar power is a long-term investment. When calculating the value of installing solar power, the question is, “What is the payback time?” After everything is all paid off, you have can sit back and relax with a house that will run on free solar power for lost of years to come!

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