Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Reduce Your Energy Bill With Solar Panels

By Glenn Wentz


Going solar as a homeowner is one of the brightest and most environmentally conscious decisions that you can make. It can really be a huge investment, but it is an investment that is worth every minute of your time and every penny of your money that you invest. It is not only kinder to your environment and the world ecology, but it is also a way for you to save a ton of money. This article is designed to provide you with a variety of tips and tricks so you can get the most from your solar panel system.

A solar system can save any where from around 20 dollars a month to completely eliminating your electric bill. It is completely dependent on how much energy you use and how many panels you have. Solar panels can be expensive if you are going to install a large number of them, however they can save you a lot of money over time. The real question you need to ask yourself is whether you have the money to initially invest in the panels. If you do, then you should, as they can save you thousands and thousands over the years in energy bills.

Unfortunately each cell is only able to create about one to two volts of electricity. This is similar to the amount produced by a AA battery. In order to create a usable amount of power, large arrays of these cells are wired together to form the well-known solar panel. These panels can then be further joined to create a solar array, which is what most people picture when they think of a solar-powered home. Because you are only limited on space as to how many panels you choose to tie together you can keep on expanding your solar array until you are actually selling power back to the electric company!

When everything is said and done, you get to enjoy the benefits of your new solar panels for a long while. Every month that you stay in your home, you will be saving a good amount of money on your electric bill. Additionally, you are helping out the environment when you utilize green energies like solar power.

Once you have determined the consumption of your home, you can begin researching the incentives, grants and tax credits that you may qualify for. There are several helpful resources for this endeavor. First, check with your local utility company. Their web site usually has information about possible grants available from them and tax credits from state and federal authorities. You can also call your local utility company and speak to a representative that can help you through the process. Also, ask your contractor if they would be able to help you with the process.

Assess your energy needs carefully. Find out how many solar panels would be necessary to cover your usual energy needs and look for ways to reduce the amount of energy you use. Perhaps you could invest in skylight tubes to benefit from natural sunlight instead of electricity. You could replace your light bulbs with more sustainable ones and change your schedule so you can use natural lighting most of the time. You will find that making a few changes to your lifestyle can have a huge impact on your utilities bill.

The first step you need to take to begin using the energy of the sun is to install solar panels. Usually, a home owner will install panels on the roof of their home. You can either install the panels yourself or call a company and get them to install them for you. In most cases, it is much more cost effective to install them on your own. There are several kits that you can buy at your local home improvement store or online that give you all the tools that you need to install some panels on your house. Even a couple of panels can go a long way in the long run.

As you can see, solar paneling is not an easy way to go green, nor is it a method of saving energy that works for everybody. Consider everything carefully before deciding whether or not to go with solar paneling. If you want solar paneling but the conditions aren't right for it to work in your home, you may need to rethink some things or consult a professional for assistance.




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