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How You Can Use Solar Power in Your Own Home
As I am sure you have noticed the cost of your electricity and gas keeps rising year after year, this inculded with more
people looking to move to living a more carbon friendly lifestyle, many of us are starting to look into alternative ways to
power our homes. One of the most popular is through using solar power.
How Solar Water Heaters Work to Save You Money
Like the name implies, solar water heaters use energy from the sun to heat water. Initially, the cost of a solar water
heater is high, but it can save you thousands of dollars in the long term. In this article, we'll discuss the costs associated
with solar water heaters, how they work and how to install them.
While solar water heaters are no longer supported by tax credits, they have become considerably more reliable, less expensive
and more efficient than the popular models of the 70s and 80s.
For example, a moderate climate system that's capable of heating water for an entire household can be installed for anywhere
from $2000-5000, making solar water heaters very competitive when compared to traditional electric and gas heaters.
What's the Annual Tab?
Typically, a solar water heating system has an annual operating cost of only about $50. Meanwhile, a traditional gas or
electric water heater will cost you $500 and more - especially those that heat up the water all night while everyone sleeps.
Essentially, solar water heaters work by serving as a preheater for a conventional storage or on-demand water heater.
They even work well with on-demand water heaters that have temperature adjustability.
Because the solar system preheats the water, the extra temperature boost required by the on-demand heater is low and people
who use them can get a high flow rate and lots of monthly savings.
Installation Considerations
Those of you thinking of installing a solar water heater will have at an advantage if you have a south-sloping roof. This
will make installation easier and your heater will run more efficiently. Most cold-climate families use solar as a three-season
system and then fall back on a traditional water heater during the dark winter months.
Before installing a solar water heating system, always look for a qualified installer and dealer who can design and size
your backup system. Ask about their certifications, and request referrals from past customers. This will be a fairly expensive
job, so you don't want to be shy about insisting upon an experienced installer with positive customer feedback.
Thinking Ahead
You should also start planning now. Like most people, we don't think about replacing our water heating system until it
actually fails and hot water becomes unavailable for several hours. In fact, depending on the design of your home water pipes,
the main water valve to the entire house may need to be shut off until the water heater is replaced.
Then in those unplanned emergency situations, we wind up rushing out and putting in whatever system we can get. Instead,
take the time to research different solar options, find the system that fits your energy needs and plan ahead to replace your
existing water heater before it fails.
Remember, most water heaters have a lifespan of about 10-15 years, so be prepared. The energy savings alone could pay
for that new solar water heater by the time the year is up, and you'll be happier knowing you're polluting the earth just
a little bit less.
How much is it going to cost.
The easiest way to get a solar powered home would to be buy or build a home that solar power designed into it from the
beginning, but this is not an option for many. The exact price tag to kit your house out with solar powered system, depends
on a number of factors, that include the following:
1. Where do you live? The area you live in can have a big difference on how well solar power will work at your home. For
example, the Seattle area may receive on average about three hours of sun a day since it's a rainy region while places in
Arizona and Texas receive six to eight hours. Obviously, the more sun you get, the more efficient your solar power would be.
2. How much electricity do you actually use in a month? Because each month may fluctuate wildly, you will have to get
a history of your electrical usage per month and round it out and determine how much it is per kilowatt hour.
3. Space availability is another factor for installing a system for solar power. First of all, you would need a place
free of obstructions. Your solar panels will need full access to the sun; therefore no buildings, trees or other structures
that would create shade should be nearby.
4. Do you plan to go straight solar power all the way or install a system, which allows for electricity access from the
power company as needed? Also, will you try to purchase an entire solar power system or choose an option, which allows you
to add components as your budget allows?
From the above you can see there a couple of points you have to think about before deciding if Solar Power would be a
good idea for your home. You may have the money to install a complete system straight from scratch, but the better option
may be to buy a unit that will allow you to add components inline with your budget and time. The best place to look would
be in your local yellow pages, or the internet that should give you a good idea of what is available. The upside to solar
power energy for the home is that you may get some tax credits! It depends on the state in which you live so you might want
to look into whether you will get any returns such as a portion of the installation costs refunded to you.
Once you have got the unit, the next thing to think about is actually installing it. If you are very handy at home and
understand the basics of electricity and mechanical things, chances are that you could probably handle the project on your
own. However, before you make that ultimate decision, you will want to check out the warranty for your equipment that you
buy. Some manufacturers will void a warranty if a licensed professional does not install it. So you have to take the additional
cost of installation into account if that scenario occurs.
Just remember that there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to solar power. If you take into account all
of the factors listed above, you will be able to make an informed decision as to which system would work best for your needs
and lifestyle.
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