The Information You Should Know Before Buying Solar

The sort of solar energy panel system you put on your home depends on your needs. If you want to go full rockstar and generate usable power from your home’s rooftop, and even possibly contribute energy back to the larger grid, tried and true photovoltaic arrays might be just the ticket. A typical installation involves the panels, which are composed of many individual silicon-based photovoltaic cells and their support structures, along with an inverter, electrical conduit piping and AC/DC disconnect switches.  Switches are how you turn things on and off.

Cheap Solar

Here is some more information on solar panel systems. These systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, and as so may not be in the dollar range for those looking for the cheapest power solution. But the upside is that homeowners with photovoltaic panels on their rooftops can rest secured that as long as the sun shines, they will have the power to spare without causing emissions of carbon dioxide and other noxious pollutants.

Qualified solar installers can usually recommend clients on which specific types of systems will work best given the precise location of a home. U.S. homeowners can find suited photovoltaic installers via the website FindSolar.com. And the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) provides a free searchable database of its U.S. and Canadian members specializing in solar home set-ups.  Set-ups like this are a good thing.

Less Demanding Appliances

Are you looking for something else? For less demanding applications, such as for heating water for your home or bathing pool, a much simpler solar thermal system might be all you need. A fundamental hot water system usually consists of a solar collector, basically, a small metal box with a glass or plastic cover and black copper or aluminum absorber plate inside, bound into the building’s plumbing and electrical works. According to the industry tracker website Solarbuzz, such solar collectors are typically mounted on rooftops with racks. Racks are the typical mounting mechanism.

Expert installers can get your house up and running with a solar thermal system for less than $4,000 in most cases. While the savings in your electric bill may be modest, homeowners in it for the long haul will save over time, all the while experiencing the fact that you have dropped your family’s carbon footprint significantly.

Homeowners watching to find out more about residential solar systems should be sure to check out the RealGoods Solar Living Sourcebook, a 600+ page renewable energy “bible” now in its 30th version. The book highlights the latest nuts-and-bolts information on how to harvest renewable energy in a variety of ways depending on demand. And RealGoods also sells much if not all of the equipment required.

Another cause to consider going solar in one fashion or another is tax incentives. According to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE), 17 states now offer homeowners any tax rebate or motivation for the purchase and/or installation of solar power equipment of any kind. You can understand what if any your state offers by logging onto the dsireusa.org website, where the searchable database is available in its total for free.

HahaSmart is a great place to look for more information on all of the points of this article.  Using our pricing tool, or reading our blogs, you can stack up your knowledge base, and then contact us to make your solar dreams come true.  

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