No energy after dark. For a lot of people, activity in the home can wind down at night, but if you are a night owl or have other people in the house staying up late, you need to evaluate your use of electricity after dark. Solar systems do not produce energy in the absence of sunlight and this additional drain on your resources can be a big disadvantage.
Installing solar panels is not quite the same as slapping new siding on your house. If you want to get the best results out of your panels, they'll need to be installed in close accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. You'll want to settle on the manufacturer and model you intend to use fairly early on in the process. Input from the panel provider can help you put the finishing touches on your plans. Contacting the manufacturer early will also help you get a better idea of exactly what kind of work you'll need to do to install the panels.
You will need to take the time to research laws and ordinances in your area that could limit your ability to install solar panels on your property. Neighborhood covenants can also ban large installations such as solar panels, so be sure to read them carefully. These laws are often outdated, and if they are going to cause issues it might be time to educate the neighborhood on the benefits of solar power. Once you know it is legal to install the panels, don't forget to get any necessary building permits you will need for the project. You will also want to get your electric company involved, as they may need to make changes to your connection to accommodate your new electricity source.
Another common use of solar heating is in pool heaters. This setup works the same as the solar water heater only instead of water for home use, filtered pool water is run through the system. When coupled with a pool cover these systems will generally double the amount of time the pool is usable in a year. If you need access to your pool year-round, however, you will probably still need a gas or electric heater as the lower temperatures couples with weaker sunlight means the solar system will have a hard time keeping up. These systems will even pay for themselves in as little as two years.
If you have a pool you know how expensive it is to heat it. You can adapt your pool to use solar energy instead, which will of course save you money and keep you from increasing the amount of pollution produced for a luxury. If you never had a pool because of how expensive it can be, you can now. It will cost a little more for the solar powered version, but like any other renewable energy machine, it is able to release you from paying to energize it.
You can count on solar panels because they're very simply constructed. They require little, if any, maintenance because there is nothing to break. There is no wear and tear. When you choose solar energy, you will not have to worry about power outages. Because you are not dependent upon a centralized source of energy, you can store your own energy. When your neighbor's lights go out, yours will still be burning brightly.
As technology progresses renewable sources of energy such as solar will become increasingly important aspects of daily life. Taking steps now to reduce your reliance on the traditional power grid will help you save money in the future, as well as reducing your environmental impact.
Building solar panels for your home is not as difficult as you think. And it is quite affordable, too.
