solar panel

 

 

Just a few years ago, people who installed a solar panel on their roof top usually called tree huggers or the granola bunch, but as the energy bills began to skyrocket it became downright fashionable to reduce your carbon footprint.  The idea of adding solar electricity to your home does not sound all that far-fetched to the rest of the world any longer.  Green technology has also become more cost-effective, thanks to the economic stimulus package which offers 30 percent tax credit for extreme green projects completed before 2017.

That being said, even with the tax credit, these projects are not that cheap.  They make the most sense if you’re planning to shell out thousands to replace your aging heating and cooling system anyways and are a resident of one of the 20 states and a few cities offering additional tax incentives.  For example, in Montgomery county Maryland, an individual can get $5,000 in local credits toward solar panels.

Los Angeles solar panels will also help homeowners receive energy efficient reductions on their utility bills along with substantial state tax incentives.

The least expensive way to harness the power of the sun is to heat your water with it. Anti-freeze circulates through black tubes up on the roof, where liquid absorbs heat and then through your hot water supply, where it releases that warmth.   Since that is not enough to get the water fully hot, the system pre-warms the water for your conventional heater, lowering your water heating costs, which are about 14 percent of your utility bill, by 50 to 70 percent.

The problem with solar panels has always been what to do when the sun is not shining.  With today’s system your house stays on the electrical grid, which supplies whatever power in you need at night or on cloudy days.  But when the sun is out, the solar cells produce more electricity than you can use, any excess goes into the grid through a two-way meter.  The juice you supply is usually credited against what you draw from the utility and should resolve in an approximately 70 to 100 percent savings on your electric bill.

San Diego solar quotes for solar panels, once installed, are estimated to pay a homeowner back within five to 10 years.