You may have heard the words solar energy before, but it may not have ever registered as something important to you. However, you may not have understood that solar energy can save you significant amounts of money in years to come. The following article will help explain how solar energy works and how it can benefit you.
Your solar energy system needs to be exposed to the sun at all times. Most homeowners have their solar panels installed on their roof but you could also have some panels installed on your front lawn. Do not hesitate to cut a few trees to avoid shadows and have a professional help you determine the best place for your panels.
Find out if your local energy provider offers meter rollback programs. Once you have a solar energy system, you should consider joining one of these programs so you can sell the energy you produce to the main grid and draw the same amount of energy instead of purchasing an expensive battery system to store your power.
Think about the reason why you want solar energy before you take the plunge. In particular, you need to consider a few things. If you are in a remote area where grid connectivity is unnecessary, solar may well be a perfect option. It is also a good choice if you are environmentally conscious.
Try to choose solar panels that can have their angles adjusted easily. The angle at which the sun hits the Earth changes throughout the year. This means that the best angle to catch the suns rays can be very different between summer and winter. Ideally you want to at least be able to adjust the angle of your panels twice a year, however if you can find some that allow adjustments four times a year (spring, summer, fall, winter) that is even better.
Be sure that you choose a company that has a great deal of experience if you plan to have a solar-energy system installed. Installation is the most important factor in whether or not your system will produce the most amount of energy possible, and a bad installation could cost you thousands in repairs.
If you invest in a large solar energy system, you could actually make money off of it. If you can pull enough solar power with a collection of solar panels, you may be able to sell your excess electricity to neighbors or even the power company. Contact your local company to see if this could work for you.
After your solar panels are installed, be sure to check your inverter on a regular basis. You need to see a green light that’s solid. If it is off or blinking, you should call your solar energy company. It’s unlikely you have the knowledge to take care of this problem yourself. Choose solar panels with a long warranty that includes maintenance and repairs.
Using solar power in your home is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Solar energy is one of the most “green” technologies there are because the sun is used and is a renewable resource. Do your part to use less fossil fuels by using solar energy instead.
Consider complementing your solar panels with other forms of energy production. Aside from night, your solar panels are least productive when it is cloudy, which usually means winds, rain or both. Put in some small wind turbines on your roof and micro-hydroelectric generators at ends of gutters for some power production when solar panels are not up and running.
To get the best performance out of your solar panels during the summer, you’ll want to adjust them to be as flat as possible. Even so, the heat during the summer months will cause a performance reduction in most solar panels. Budget for this drop in electricity generation when developing your solar energy plan.
Every season, adjust the angle of the solar panels. Each season brings a different amount of sunlight that hits your home and the direction that sunlight comes from changes too. When you change your panels’ angles, you ensure that they are running as efficiently as possible throughout the year.
If you reside in an area where temperatures drop to freezing, you have to take special care of your solar energy system. Every time the weather gets very cold, you need to turn the system off and drain it. This will help you keep your system working for a much longer time.
Maximize the power output of the space you use for solar panels. This means you should invest in quality panels that can produce high amounts of energy without taking up your entire roof. Maximizing the power output of your panels will allow you to easily expand your system if you need to produce more energy.
If your roof tends to be shady, it probably isn’t the best spot to place your panels. Companies claiming that their products work well in the shade should probably be avoided. This simply is not true.
Avoid high pressure salespeople. All salespeople want to make a sale, however if you find yourself being pressured, walk away. High pressure sales tactics are usually used by those who have an inferior product. If it is right for you a solar energy system should sell itself. You should never feel pressured to purchase a particular system if you are not 100 percent certain.
There are many ways to take advantage of solar energy. One of them that many people don’t know about is leasing a system. You see, when you lease a system, you lock in a rate for about ten years, which means that your rate doesn’t go up as energy costs do go up. Therefore, you have found a way to get that solar energy into your home.
It is not easy to get acquainted with solar energy, as there are many aspects of this topic. The Internet is filled with valuable information on the subject and hopefully this article has helped you get started with understanding it. Apply all the information you’ve learned today to make the decision to incorporate solar energy into your everyday life.