To Install Or Not To Install A Solar Array? Pluses And Minuses
There are many reasons to install solar panels on the roof of your home. You'll get a tax rebate, you'll save on your power bills, and you'll be helping the environment. However, there are reasons why every building in your town does not already have an array on top of it. Check out this article to see an analysis of the good and the bad.
It is not cheap to install a solar panel array. You can plan on spending thousands of dollars for your solar energy system. While you can also plan on recouping some of that back each month with savings on your power bill, you will need to stay in that house for at least 10 years to get your money back. In the meantime, maintenance and replacement costs will just be added to your investment.
Unless you're just going to run one of your appliances from your solar panels, you are going to need to be able to dedicate most of your roof to your array. Is your roof large enough? Does it point in the right direction? If it is flat, can a contractor erect enough stands for the array to face the right way? These are questions that you will need to have answered before making a decision.
When it's dark outside, you are not adding any energy. If it's overcast and raining, you're not getting very much at all. If it's a cold winter day, even if the sun is out, your panels will not operate as efficiently because of the low temperature. You need to make sure your climate is sunny enough to merit this major purchase. Contact your state and county energy offices to see if solar energy is really a smart choice for your part of the world.
Where does the sun hit your roof? Is the pitch of your roof compatible to the angle of the sun's rays during the most powerful times of the year? If not, what will a contractor have to do to make your roof more favorable? These are all things that you need to figure out before signing that installation contract.
There's no way to deny that energy coming from the sun is free. Once you pay to put the panels in, you will not pay another dime for the energy that streams in through your photovoltaic cells. It is great for the environment too, but the free energy is by far the best advantage.
With a solar panel array, there is none of the clanking and whirring that go along with a wind turbine, which is just one of the reasons why it is so hard to get zoning approved for wind power for local homeowners. With this system, though, power will silently enter your home.
It's true. Solar panel arrays can make for an expensive investment. However, if you are planning on living there for the long run, it can be a major value boost for your home.
