If you're handy with tools and the idea of spending time on the roof doesn't scare you, you can save thousands by installing your own solar kits system to create a solar powered home.
Your best bet is a large area of south-facing roof space where the solar panels can be installed to receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. The tall, leafy trees you depend on to provide summer shade and buffer wind and rain can't be in the way. No sun = no power.
An array of how-to manuals and e-books are available and should be your first purchase. Do some Web surfing, you can find a good guide for under or at least in that price range. If you want to generate enough solar electricity to power an entire home, the practical choice is to make sure as many large appliances as possible run on gas. Those can include the water heater, stove, and clothes dryer, three big energy drains that can require more power than your solar power home system can produce. Why not consider solar kits and do it yourself.
Taking those appliances out of the equation, the average size home will require more than 300 square feet of solar panels, at a cost of about ,000.
The solar panels are going to be the costliest part of the project, but the more you buy, the cheaper they are. While some people even go so far as building their own panels, purchasing a kit that includes panels and all the components you need for a solar power home will save you time and effort.
The kit will include a digital charge controller and watt converter, mounting brackets for the solar panels, a voltage tester, and wiring. Typically, the extras will cost another ,000, so the price tag on a total do-it-yourself solar power home will be about ,000. Having a professional installer will more than double the cost, but keep in mind the federal government is offering a 30 percent tax credit for whatever you spend through 2016, and you're more likely to get your credit if your system is installed by a licensed contractor. The same goes for incentives being offered by many states. And certainly, you don't want your town's building inspector knocking at your door, so take all these things into consideration before heading up the ladder.
Most solar power homes are integrated into the area power grid, which means you don't have to store the power your system generates. Your local power company will install a net meter that allows you to sell your excess energy (during that vacation trip) and draw on the reserve sometime in the future. Go to dsireusa.org to see if you are in one of the 41 states that offer net metering. While you're there, check out the solar kits local incentives offered to create a solar power home.
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