Are you thinking of installing solar power for homes? Well, if so, you’ll be pleased to hear that 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.

Start by deciding what percentage of your home are you going to be running on solar power for homes. You could use solar power for homes to heat your water tank. You could go further and go completely off-grid thus ensuring the whole house is running on solar power for homes. It’s up to you, but you have to find out the average amount of electricity your house uses per month.

To work out 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. This way, we can set up your solar power for homes system so it can surely cope with all the energy demands placed upon it.

Now, for your security and peace of mind, multiply that amount by at least 1.5. If any extra appliances are brought into your home you remain fully covered. So, by the end of this task you will know how much solar power you need. This will also enable you to tell how many solar panels you will have to buy and what size they must be.

These days, your best bet is to buy solar panels online. Check out 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 tradesman to install your solar power. You will find plenty online or in your telephone directory. Don’t stop until you have three quotations for the job, but don’t necessarily choose based entirely on the price. Cost is important, but you can gain extra reassurance of a job well done from an experienced tradesman 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.

Costing about $2,000 together with perhaps $500 for installation, inverters will last you roughly 10 years. Bare in mind solar panels.

If you want to go off the grid completely, it is essential that you use good quality batteries 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. You will probably need to buy about 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 if you can get any support from local government for the price of installing solar energy. Most local government agencies offer some form of tax credits for this job. Ask your local utility company as well. They may give you a special deal or give you some incentive package perhaps. Do this right and you could save 50% off the total cost or more.

Although you absolutely have to get a qualified electrician, you’ll be pleased to hear that installing solar power for homes 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.

Solar power is a long-term investment. When estimating 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 knowing that you now have a house that will be enjoying free electricity for lost of years to come!

from Sam Deane,
your solar power for homes guide,
at www dot go solar power for homes dot com

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