One of the most popular forms of renewable energy is solar power. These days, you see it being used everywhere both commercially and residentially. If you are considering turning to solar energy for your power needs, this article is for you. Read on and learn everything you need to know about solar energy.
If you are thinking about using solar power in your home, you must consider how much direct sunlight your home is actually exposed to. In order for solar energy to be worth it, your roof should have full sun exposure a minimum of 6 hours every day. You should also be wary of any areas of your roof covered by shade.
Having a pool is a luxury that is becoming unaffordable for many families. Have you watched the past couple summers pass by, without opening up the pool? Switching your system over to renewable solar energy can help make it possible to keep enjoying your pool, without the high energy bill each month.
Once your solar-powered system has generated energy, how will you store it? You may want to get a battery that stores the energy or sell it to the electric company.
Be careful when positioning solar panels on your home. These panels need direct sunlight, at least during the main portion of the day. If there are a lot of trees that shade the panel, you’ll reduce your overall output by a lot. Plan ahead and look at all of your placement options.
If you are thinking about having a solar system installed, make sure that your home or business is suited for it. Sometimes the layout of the roof will not accommodate the proper angle for maximum energy production. Talk to more than one company to ensure the contractor is being honest about your solar situation.
Keep shade issues in mind when installing solar panels. A panel that loses a quarter of its light can lose half its power production. The main thing to keep in mind is tree foliage. Are any trees going to grow in between the panels and sunlight? Consider trimming them back a little.
If you cannot afford a full-scale solar energy system, consider investing in a smaller one. Some vendors offer small systems designed to power a water heater or a generator. This small investment should help you save money within the next few years and you can easily expand your solar energy system by powering more appliances with solar panels.
Be realistic about the costs of having a solar energy system. If you’re paying much less than other systems that are around the same size as yours, you may have poor equipment or installation work. Like with many things in life you get what you pay for. Quality installation work and equipment isn’t going to be cheap. You may have substantial savings by going with a large company, but other companies may be cutting corners to keep costs down.
Always use non abrasive cleansers on your solar panels. An abrasive cleaner can scratch the surface of the panel and cause permanent damage and affect how well the solar panel works. There are commercial cleaning solutions to use or you can use a pool skimmer with a very soft cloth on it.
If you are building a new home, now is the time to factor in solar energy! Ask a consultant to design windows that warm your home in winter while saving you a bundle on heating. Consider planting trees for shade and leaving space in the yard for solar panels too. Building solar energy into a new home is much easier than adding it onto an old one!
Don’t trust salespeople that will pressure you into a purchase. Switching to solar energy is a large investment and one you should think about first. It should be feasible for you to let them now you will make a decision later rather than right there and then. A good deal now should still be a good deal later. Decisions that are pressured may end up costing you a lot of money later on.
If you are considering installing a solar panel system, it is important that the panel faces in the sun’s direction. Although this seems obvious, you would be surprised how many people forget this step. If your panel does not have sun, it won’t power up. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, your panel should face South towards the horizon.
Before making a choice on how many solar panels you use make a list of all the electrical appliances you use and the wattage and hours utilized by each one. This will be helpful in determining how much solar power you will need. No matter if you decide to install the equipment yourself or have someone else do it, this information will help your choices.
While solar panels can continue to work on days when it is not sunny, you should not have them installed if you live in an area that is cloudy most of the time. The amount of energy you save with them will not be worth the amount you paid for them.
Have a clear understanding of your daily energy consumption before purchasing a solar electricity system for your home. Solar panels can be costly, and understanding how many you need is important. How many you need will be based on the overall daily energy consumption of your home and family, so having this information is vital in making a smart purchase.
An alternate type of solar panel recently developed is a photovoltaic panel. This type of panel uses the sun’s energy to produce electricity. This electricity can be used to power anything in your home that is uses it, or it can be stored in batteries. These panels can be considerably more expensive than the original solar panel.
Having read the article above, you should now have a better understanding as to how solar energy works. Use the information provided to help you decide if solar power is right for you. In the end, solar energy is both great for the environment and for you pocketbook too.