Tag: solar panels

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Benefits of Solar Panels

Solar panels on house roof

Due to the many benefits of solar panels, the U.S. has seen an unprecedented rate of growth of solar power: are you ready to jump on the sunshine-driven bandwagon? Adding solar panels to your home can make it possible to save money. You save money doing what you need to do every day: cook dinner, do the laundry, heat and cool your home, turn on the lights. There are many benefits of solar panels. They make it possible to create energy at a greater rate than we use it. This makes it easy and convenient to reduce your carbon footprint.

While you may have seen solar panels on the roofs of some homes, and you may know that these panels generate power from the sun, have you ever wondered how solar panels work? Here’s a quick step-by-step summary of the process:

  1. The sun’s photons are collected by solar panels.
  2. When photons hit the solar panels, it creates a direct current (DC) electric field.
  3. An inverter converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). This allows appliances and home systems to use the power.
  4. The alternating current (AC) routes through the home’s switchboard to supply electricity.
  5. If there is excess electricity, it is exported to the electrical grid, or stored in batteries connected to the system for future use.
  6. If there isn’t enough solar powered energy to power the home, electricity is imported from the electrical grid, or the solar system pulls stored power from batteries.

Now that you know how solar panels work, let’s look at some of the benefits of solar panels and installing a solar energy system in your home.

Instant Savings on Your Electric Bill

When you install solar panels on your home, you will see savings on your electric bill immediately. Typically, homeowners save well above $100 monthly, which translates to over $30,000 over 20 years—less than the length of a warranty. The amount saved varies depending on where you live and how many panels you install. But no matter how many solar panels you install, you will have smaller monthly bills. If you install enough panels, you may see your electric bill disappear entirely.

While utility rates fluctuate over time, the sun is a consistent source of free energy. With each passing year, you will see larger returns on your investment.

Instead of a Bill, You Might Get a Check

It’s possible, especially in states that offer generous renewable energy incentives, to generate passive income by installing solar panels. In this case, the utility company pays you for the clean energy your solar panels produce. You may get cash or credits on your bill—but whatever the case, your electric bill is now practically non-existent.

Sound like a dream come true? You can find out if you qualify for these incentives in the state where you live before you install your solar panels. There is a huge benefit in doing your homework before you make your decision. It doesn’t cost anything but time. In the long run you may be setting yourself up for a more prosperous retirement in the future.

Solar Panels are Low Maintenance

What’s especially nice about the high financial returns of installing solar panels is that they won’t cost you time or money to maintain them. Because they have no moving parts, nothing can damage them very easily. Solar panels require very little maintenance after the initial installation. Just a basic yearly maintenance and cleaning will keep them in good working order for 25 years or more.

Increase Your Home’s Value

Homes with solar panels sell faster and for more money, because realtors and homebuyers know that the home will have lower electricity costs, without the initial cost of the installation. Research shows that most home owners will see a $5,911 resale value increase per installed kilowatt. That means if you install a 3.1 kilowatt system, you could improve your home’s resale value by nearly $18,000.

Protect Your Roof

Solar panels are most commonly installed on the roof where it is easiest to get sunshine. They are take up very little space and can be added to any size home.

While it is important for your roof to be in good condition prior to installing your solar panels, it’s also a way of protecting that roof over the long run. Solar panels cover the roof from heat, sun, wind, and rain—and may even offer additional insulation to keep temps in your home more consistent.

Benefits of Solar Panels: A Cleaner, Quieter, Sustainable Future

There are many benefits of solar panels. There are also many reasons why they are better for the environment than other sources of energy. Here are a few:

  • Solar power is a renewable resource: We won’t run out.
  • The sun can power the world: When properly harnessed and stored, just one hour of energy from the sun could power the entire global population for a year.
  • Renewable energy improves public health: Coal and natural gas plants produce air and water pollution that is harmful to human health.
  • Solar power protects natural resources: While fossil fuel production, particularly hydraulic fracking, requires significant water resources and causes water pollution, solar energy requires little to no water to operate.
  • It works during drought or heat wave: Coal, natural gas, and nuclear power use large amounts of water for cooling.
  • Solar power creates jobs in clean energy: Fossil fuel technologies often rely primarily on mechanical components, but creating solar energy is more labor intensive and requires more human energy which means more jobs.

Solar is Easier than Ever

Installing solar panels on your home was a long process before. There were a limited number of companies that offered solar installation and it was difficult to find the best deal.

Now, with so many more solar companies on the market and the wealth of information available online, homeowners have an easier time than ever installing solar on their homes so they can save money right away. Another option for homeowners who may have limited resources available is the pay-as-you-go system for solar.

With all the benefits of solar panels, it makes great sense to check out a solar installation for your home. You won’t regret harnessing the sun’s powerful energy for your daily needs and saving yourself money in the process.

 

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Blog Solar Panels

How to Insulate an Active Solar House

You’ve decided to build your dream house, and you’re thinking of using solar radiation for your energy. That’s an excellent idea! Many environmentally-conscious homeowners choose solar because of their concern that burning fossil fuels is harming the planet. Others appreciate the financial advantages of a solar house.

Most modern solar house technologies harness the heat generated from the sun to power residential heating and cooling systems. How you collect and distribute the sun’s energy defines whether you have an active or passive solar system.

In an active solar system, solar panels or shingles capture the sun’s power and convert it into energy. Blowers, pumps and other types of equipment collect, store, and convert solar energy. After you absorb the energy, you store it for later use.

A passive system works differently. South-facing windows act as collectors to capture the sun’s energy. The energy collected is redistributed according to the law of thermodynamics, which states that heat moves from warm to cold areas and surfaces. The success of the passive solar system depends on proper orientation and the thermal mass of the structure’s exterior walls and their ability to store and redistribute heat.

No matter which method you choose, there is one common denominator—you must properly insulate your house. While insulation is necessary for any building, it is critical for a solar house—especially those employing passive systems—to be well insulated. Here’s why:

Solar Insulation is Part of a Passive Solar Design

High insulation levels are essential in a passive solar house. Without them, a home can lose up to sixty-percent of its heat energy. Expert design of insulation into the building allows it to work together with thermal mass.  Thermal mass is a dense material that stores and radiates heat.

The economical solution to a warmer house in the winter and a cooler house in the summer is to insulate it well while understanding how heat moves. Heat is always moving to reach equilibrium, which is why it travels from warm areas to colder areas within your house.

Think about when you open an exterior door on a cold winter evening. Heat moves out and the cold rushes in. The same thing happens when you open the freezer door: Heat heads in and cold air moves out into the room. In both cases–your house and the fridge–insulation works to keep areas warm or cold, depending on their functions. Everyone prefers to live within a constant, comfortable temperature, regardless of the temperature outside.

Solar Panels and Insulating an Active Solar House

Insulating your home for an active solar system is not much different than for the passive design except for one area. Research has shown that if you have tilted solar photovoltaic panels installed on your roof, they act as insulators, retaining heat in the winter and providing shade to keep it cooler in the summer.

Other than that feature of solar panels, it is advisable to insulate the following areas of practically any house:

  • Unfinished attic spaces
  • Attic access door
  • Finished attic rooms
  • Studs in knee walls
  • Studs in exterior walls
  • Ceilings beneath cold spaces
  • Joist spaces
  • Exterior walls
  • Wall between living spaces and unheated spaces
  • Foundation walls in heated basements
  • Floors above cold spaces
  • Parts of the floor that are beyond the exterior walls below
  • Slab floors
  • Unvented crawl spaces
  • Reduce air flow in joist space
  • Band joists
  • Replacement or storm windows: caulk and seal around doors and windows

Where do You Lose Your Heat?

Heat is always attempting to leave your house. Some areas are more prone to heat loss than others. Here are the parts of your house that require the most vigilance:

  • Ceilings and roof spaces
    • Accounting for between 25% and 30% of your total winter heat loss, you must insulate these upper parts of your house adequately. Insulation levels are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-Value, the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to R-38 or about 10 to 14 inches, depending on insulation type.
    • Pay particular attention to cathedral ceilings, and be sure to insulate any walls between the roof and an indoor space using the same R-38 insulation.
  • Walls
    • Anywhere from 15% to 25% of your heat loss is through the walls. Unfortunately, walls only have a certain amount of space between the studs to add insulation. In cold climates, we recommend alternative wall construction systems that allow higher insulation levels.
    • To increase the R-value in exterior walls, some builders are installing foam insulation on the outside of new homes underneath the siding. Adding foam board insulation to the walls of an existing house can only be done during an exterior renovation or siding upgrade.

Insulation Materials 101

There are various materials with which you can insulate your home efficiently. Here are the most popular:

  • Blanket insulation: Available in batts and rolls, it’s made from fiberglass, plastic fibers, or natural fibers. It’s suitable for use between joists and studs and is relatively inexpensive.
  • Insulation for concrete blocks and walls: Foam boards are fastened on the outside or inside of walls. These are used on unfinished walls, including foundation walls. Pre-insulated concrete blocks are also an option.
  • Loose-fill and blown-in insulation: Loose-fill insulation is made up of small particles of fiber, foam, or other materials. These little particles form an insulation material that can conform to any space without disturbing structures or finishes. This ability to fit makes loose-fill insulation well suited for retrofits and locations where it would be difficult to install other types of insulation.

Of course, this is only a small sampling of the kinds of insulation from which a homeowner can choose.

Do it Yourself or Seek Professional Help?

Whether you add insulation yourself or hire a contractor depends on several variables. If you are insulating a passive solar house, it’s is a key component and in most cases you should let experts install it. Blown-in insulation requires specialized equipment and, as such, needs a professional.

If you’re just adding ceiling insulation to increase the R-value, most homeowners can tackle that project. You’re the only one who can judge your abilities. But whether you do it yourself or hire someone else, having the right amount of insulation keeps you from wasting money and helps to keep you warm.

 

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