Considering introducing residential solar power into your home? Well, if so, you’ll be pleased to hear that solar power systems work really well and the cost of installing them is falling dramatically. I have gathered together some information so you can get a good idea of how much it will cost and exactly what the scale of the job is.

Make a decision about how much of your house do you actually want to be run on residential solar. You could use residential solar to heat your water tank. If you are in the right geographical location where sunshine is reliably frequent and long lasting, you could go further and go completely off-grid, thus ensuring the whole house is running on residential solar. It’s up to you, but first, you must discover the average amount of electricity your house uses per month.

To calculate the average energy usage of your home, simply dig out your monthly electricity bills going back over the last two years. Do some calculations. Be aware of the year’s peak times, like Christmas when you would normally go through a lot more power than normal. We are trying to set up your home’s residential solar system so it definitely can cope with all of your home’s energy demands.

Now, so you can sleep easy at nights, multiply that amount by a minimum of 1.5. If any extra appliances are brought into your house you remain fully covered. So, by the end of this task you will know how much residential solar power you need. This will also enable you to tell how many solar panels you need and what size they have to be.

In this day and age, your best bet is to buy solar panels online. Go to Ebay and enter the words “solar panel pallet” exactly as is. Sit back and be prepared to be amazed by the incredible bargains you will find there. If you think they seem expensive, please don’t forget that these prices are a one time cost and solar panels tend to last 25 to 30 years.

Without exception, always employ a skilled, experienced solar power technician to install your residential solar power. Look for them online or in your phone book. Don’t stop until you have three quotations for the job, but don’t necessarily make your decision based only on the price. Cost is important, but you can gain extra reassurance of a job well done from an established solar power technician when installing solar power for homes.

You will also have to shop around for a good quality inverter. When solar panels harness the sun’s energy they turn that energy into direct (DC) current. The inverter will convert this DC current into alternating (AC) current upon which we run all our domestic electrical equipment.

Roughly costing $2,000 together with perhaps $500 for installation, inverters will last you roughly 10 years. replacement solar panels.

For those who want to go completely off-grid, good quality batteries are essential to store the excess solar power you pull down on sunny days. This reserve of energy can then be used to run your home’s electrical needs at night-time. The deep-cycle batteries will probably cost $50 to $100. I suggest you buy 10 of them. Their longevity is not so good as the inverter. Expect to have to get new ones every 3-5 years.

Always ask your local authorities if they will give you any assistance for the cost of installing residential solar. Most local government agencies offer some form of tax credits for this job. Ask your local utility company as well. They might have some good incentives or special deals. Do this right and you could cut the total price by half or more.

Although it is essential you get a qualified electrician, it’s reassuring to know that installing residential solar power doesn’t have to involve a lot of electrical work. rewiring it will need. However, this is rarely an extensive job. I repeat though, be sure to use an experienced, qualified electrician.

Always remember that solar power is a long-term investment. When calculating the value of installing solar power, the question is, “What is the payback time?” After you have paid everything off, you have can kick back and relax with a house that will run on free residential solar for many years to come!

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