What does the sun do for you? I’m sure it provides you light to get around safely by. It also gives you heat. Did you know that everything you’re made of came from a star? Now, let’s put solar energy to use, too! Read on to find out how to do it.
The efficiency of your solar panels depends on their density. While you may pay more money for a high-density panel, know that this type typically produces significantly more energy. Before making a decision about solar panels, be sure to make a density comparison.
Keep the trees around your solar energy panels trimmed. Shade from trees can limit the sun’s rays that are hitting your panels, thereby causing your panels to work less effectively. In order to avoid this problem, make sure to trim back leaves and branches regularly. This is easy to do, and it is cost effective too.
If you are thinking about having a solar system installed, make sure that your home or business is suited for it. Sometimes the layout of the roof will not accommodate the proper angle for maximum energy production. Talk to more than one company to ensure the contractor is being honest about your solar situation.
Solar water heaters have been around for hundreds of years. For over 50 years people have been using them to heat everything inside and outside the home. Over the years, these solar water heating systems have become much more efficient. If you are located in sunny areas of the country, you should look into buying a solar water system.
Before purchasing any solar panels, make sure they are government certified. This may seem like a small deal, but it really affects your bottom line. Many of the government rebate programs require that your solar panels are government certified. If they aren’t, you’ll be missing out on some of the cash back opportunities out there for you.
Panels need to be placed where the most sunlight is found. Therefore, ensure you regularly check up the area around your solar panels to check for trees or large bushes that may be growing and blocking the sun from hitting the panels.
If you are considering installing a solar panel system, it is important that the panel faces in the sun’s direction. Although this seems obvious, you would be surprised how many people forget this step. If your panel does not have sun, it won’t power up. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, your panel should face South towards the horizon.
Find a vendor who offers a lengthy warranty for your solar panels. A lengthy warranty is a sign that the vendor has faith in the products and it will help you save a lot of money in case your panels malfunction. Do some background research on the vendor you chose to make sure they are likely to still be around over the next decades.
Decide whether you want to be on or off the power grid. Many people look forward to getting “off the grid” when they switch to solar power, however this may not be the best choice. Staying on your power grid means that when you have poor sunlight conditions you have the ability to purchase additional power when you need it. As a bonus, when you produce more power than you use, you can sell the excess back to the utilities.
While we’re all made of stars, literally, we also can use the sun’s power to run our devices. From solar phone chargers to solar arrays, this power can be harnessed to allow us to have the things we need without wasting the Earth’s resources. What a wonderful technology solar energy is!
