Have you ever had a personal dealing with solar energy? Whether you have or not, you need to be aware of certain aspects of this energy source to really take advantage of its benefits. In the following article, you will be given advice that will help you see how rewarding solar energy is.
St. Petersburg Solar Company FL
Your solar energy system will keep functioning as long as you maintain it regularly. Be sure and inspect your equipment a minimum of once each month, and carefully wash your solar panels. If you need to, hire help to get the job done right.
Using a water heater that runs on solar power is one method in being good to the environment. You can find solar systems in both tankless and standard water heaters. Either of these water heaters can be installed on your rooftop or other sunny location.
The efficiency of a solar energy system varies a lot depending on its exposure to the sun. If you live in a sunny area, your system should produce enough energy to cover all your needs but solar energy might not be such a good investment if you live in an area where the sky is usually filled with clouds.
Talk to your local government about doing any major solar installations in your home or business. You want to be properly permitted and within building, zoning and construction codes and regulations. However, you may also discover tax credits, rebates and other financial incentives. They may also have data and information about how well certain solar technologies work in your area.
You might be wondering how you can use solar energy, without having to spend a fortune. Solar energy systems can be expensive, but they can also be very affordable. Try using solar powered lights on your walkway or around your yard. You can also add solar panels slowly to your home overtime to bring down some of the costs little by little.
Try to choose solar panels that can have their angles adjusted easily. The angle at which the sun hits the Earth changes throughout the year. This means that the best angle to catch the suns rays can be very different between summer and winter. Ideally you want to at least be able to adjust the angle of your panels twice a year, however if you can find some that allow adjustments four times a year (spring, summer, fall, winter) that is even better.
Once your solar panels are installed, you need to keep track of how much power you are producing and using on a daily basis. Invest in a quality monitoring system and look at the data as often as possible. If you notice your panels are not producing as much energy as usual, it might be time to clean them.
Don’t cheap out on the installation! Yes, you’ve spent a lot of hard earned cash on these solar panels, but that’s the point entirely. You’ve made a huge investment, and you’ll want these panels to be secured perfectly. If you opt for someone with less experience or a spotty track record to save a bit of cash, then you’ll likely have lots of issues in the future.
Don’t underestimate the effect that shade can have on a solar panel’s output. One tree branch can produce enough shade to reduce the amount of solar energy produced by almost 80 percent and that’s without leaves. Take the time to properly situate any solar panels you install to maximize their efficiency.
Consider selling extra energy back to your local utilities. If you live in an area of abundant sunshine, you may be able to not only save money on your power, but earn a little extra too. Many power companies allow solar energy users to sell extra power back to them, so be sure to take advantage of the opportunity.
Ideally you should change the angle at which your solar panels sit at least four times per year, at the start of each new season. The amount and direction of sunlight that reaches your home changes when the seasons change. When you change your panel angles, you are optimizing your energy harnessing, saving you money.
Minimize the upfront costs of solar panels by considering a lease instead of a purchase. This spreads the payments over a long-term period into monthly installments, so you could actually start saving money immediately. Still, consider how long you will be in that building, as the long-term periods usually run a decade.
Allow your clothing to dry outside on a line. Even though this idea has been used for many years, it’s still efficient. Any sunny day, skip that washer and dryer and let the sun do the work for you. You will have dry garments and lower energy costs.
Carefully consider the types of solar panels you plan on having installed. Long ago, if you didn’t have enough roof space, you’d need very expensive high efficiency mono-crystalline panels. There are now more advanced polycrystalline panels and even thin film panels. If you’ve got enough roof space, you might wish to look at the size of the panels in relation to their output capacity to avoid having insufficient panels that you need more of later.
As the start of this piece discussed, whether you know about solar energy yet or not, you have to be well educated on the subject to truly take advantage of its benefits. The article above has provided you with solar energy tips to help increase your knowledge. Use this advice to see how wonderful it is to have solar energy in your life.
St. Petersburg Solar Company FL
St. Petersburg FL
