Home Solar System - Do Your Homework

You may be thinking about installing a home solar system. There are a lot of things to consider, like the cost, the benefits, and if your house is a good candidate for home solar system.

Reasons to Install Solar Energy

A solar energy system can positively affect the value of your house. According to home appraisal statistics, a home's value goes up about $20 for each dollar reduction in the yearly utility cost.

Lowering your energy bills and saving money are generally the biggest incentive to installing solar power. For someone that pays more than $75 a month for electricity, and also has a tax-deductible loan payment for the installation of their solar system, that loan payment may be less than their electric bill. An energy solar system can eventually save you about $80 a month.

Currently, the approximate cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour for a solar energy system is about the same as for the electricity provided by the local utility company. However, a home solar system has minimal maintenance costs, so installing a system now, in essence locks in today's electricity prices for the life of your system.

"Green" is good in this day and age. Energy from solar reduces your "environmental footprint".

The Earth naturally receives adequate solar energy every day to provide each house and business on the planet with energy. Solar power is clean and reliable.

Is My Home a Good Candidate for Solar Energy?

If your are convinced that solar power is the way to go, the next step is to determine if your home and its location are appropriate for it. An installer of solar energy systems will consider these five things:

1. Does enough sun fall in the region in which you live?

2. Does your house have 500 square feet of roof that gets at least 5 hours of direct sun each day?

3. Are there too many trees or other structures that would cause too much shading on the energy panels during the peak hours?

4. Is the roof structure strong enough to support the panels?

Autor: Matt Murren

DIY Solar Energy Instructions. Click Here to get the details... http://www.HomeEnergyGuru.info

Added: November 13, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Solar Home Plans For an Energy Saving Lifestyle

Building a home to meet 21st century energy standards begins with a thought. Solar home plans help produce a physical structure from those thoughts that reflects conservation, style and an energy efficient and cost saving attitude. There are several different types of solar home plans available. Solar plans are becoming popular and can be found on various websites in cyberspace. Solar home plans include individual client preferences based on location and cost.

Individual solar home plans offer clients the opportunity to incorporate specific features in the home that make each solar for home special. Plans that have flexibility, as well as character, are the solar home plans that stand out in a neighborhood or a town. Most solar home plans include some or all of the following details:

• A south wall that must face more than 15% off of true south
• A tall south walls or one that has gables
• A south porch that compliments the design
• A wood stove or hearth that can be used as a backup system
• Foundation plans and detailed drawings
• Floor plans for each level with dimensions
• Wall sections with details
• Whole house cross-sections
• Elevations of all sides of the house
• Roof framing and collector details
• Framing details for each level
• Electrical drawings for each level
• Construction specs and notes, window and door schedules and interior elevations
• Fireplace and stair details

Solar or sun-inspired home designs incorporate the movement of the sun in the design, and they take the heat and the light it emits during the day into consideration when designing interior rooms. Porches are usually included as outdoor living space. The exterior design is inviting, as well as unique, in a somewhat traditional way. When a solar for home is designed effectively using quality insulation and caulking, heating and cooling costs can be reduced by over 70%. Construction costs may be 10% higher than a standard home, but the overall energy savings, plus the tax incentives offered, quickly negate that expense.

Autor: Matt Murren

DIY Solar Energy Instructions. Click Here to get the details... http://www.HomeEnergyGuru.info

Added: November 12, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Solar Energy For Home Use

Tapping into solar energy for home use represents big environmental savings, but is it for you? Check out your options before you decide.

Simple Solutions

Your options encompass much more than large panels bolted to the side of your home. With just a few dollars and an hour of time, you can install lighting around your house that run off of solar power.

From heating water to charging devices, solar energy can offset your electricity consumption and electricity waste. If you don't have the funds to invest in a home solar-electric system (despite government incentives), you still have ways to harvest energy from the sun.

Solar-Electric Systems

If you can invest in photovoltaic panels, you have options, too.

UI set-ups tie your home to the electric wiring that comes and goes to the power company. When your home panels create energy, it goes to the electric company and offsets your energy use. Sometimes you make more than you use, and they credit your account or pay you for the difference.

With a UI system, you have the same experience as you do without solar panels. You work with the electric company and if there's an outage, you lose your power just like your non-solar sporting neighbors. This is where a UI system with a generator comes into play. Just like any home with a generator, the backup source of electricity keeps your house humming when the power company's down and out.

Going "off-grid" means no connection to the electric company. Your solar panels create electricity that gets wired straight into your home. With this option, you have to make a few changes to maximize your electricity.

When considering whether or not to invest in solar energy solutions, remember to keep all your options in mind. You don't need a small fortune, or tons of technical know-how. You don't have to give up modern conveniences to tap the power of the sun.

Autor: Matt Murren

DIY Solar Energy Instructions. Click Here to get the details... http://www.HomeEnergyGuru.info

Added: November 10, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/