First, you'll need to know how much power you use in your home. You can do this by figuring out the wattage required by all the appliances in your house. You can also look at your power bill to see how many kilowatt hours (kWh), your home uses each month. Compare this number to the power available from solar systems. Remember, if the numbers on a solar system seem too good to be true, they probably are. Make sure that you're investigating reputable providers and that any system you're thinking about buying comes with a warranty or guarantee.
Most people use too much power to directly replace their existing power provider with a home solar system. However, that doesn't mean you have to give up on a solar home. There are a number of different ways to incorporate the benefits of solar power without going completely off the grid. Solar water heaters are popular. In these systems, the sun's power (with or without the use of solar panels) is used to provide hot water for the entire building. Rooftop tanks are popular, but check to see whether or not your roof can support the extra weight. Some people with swimming pools switch to a solar-powered heating and filtration system, to reduce the environmental impact of their pools.
If you'd like to provide electrical power to your home via the sun, you'll require a solar power system. This doesn't have to be a standalone setup, however. One popular method of providing sustainable power without going off-grid, and without having to buy expensive batteries is called a grid tie-in. In this setup, power produced by your solar power system goes to supply your house if it's needed, and when it's not, it goes back into the power grid. Your power company will reimburse you for this power, either at the rate it costs them to produce that power, or by running your meter backwards.
Remember to consider your location. Solar power isn't for every home. If you don't receive enough hours of direct sunlight, you could have trouble justifying the expense of a solar power system. Consider making adjustments to your home to allow it to use passive solar energy, using a wind system, or look into power companies that produce their electricity in a sustainable manner instead. While passive and active solar installations are easiest with new construction, don't rule out adapting your existing structure to be more efficient and make use of the sun's energy.A "solar power home" isn't right for everyone, but it can work for many homes. Investigate further to find out if your home and your site are right for using the sun's power.
