The other sources which are being used at present are not sustainable especially when the energy bills are rising rapidly. The point is to have a cheaper option than the current oil heaters and the best option could be solar air heaters.

There are two variants which can be used as solar air heating system; you may use liquid or air that is heated in the solar energy collectors. The system is based on the principle of heat exchange method to warm the cool air and reduce the conventional systems to perform the same task.

If you are looking for cost effective methods to reduce the electricity loads, solar air heater is the ultimate option. If you want to understand the solar air heating system, just have a look at the electric motor of your hybrid vehicle, you will easily understand the system.

You can use it with your existing system be it oil, gas, wood or anything else, it will decrease your fuel consumption by almost 30%. This sounds quite good, just sees how much your energy bills come down and you contribute to the environment. This is a great idea and everybody will like it to implement.

A solar air heating system is quite warm and soothing using air as the working fluid for absorption and transferring solar energy. The air gets sucked into the warmer part of the vent which makes the enclosure warm and is brought back to the living area.

To reduce your electricity consumption and energy bills, the best option is solar air heaters which are economical and practical. Though photovoltaic cells are in the market, these are still expensive and out of reach for most home owners. In such circumstances solar air heater can prove to be a very effective way of heating your home.

A solar air heater is almost 25 times cheaper than the solar electric PV system and the systems are considered to be excellent Do It Yourself (DIY) projects. You can do it yourself in six simple steps:

1) Frame and fit the box for the enclosure.

2) Paint it and add screen mounting boards.

3) Mount the boards to the wall and seal it.

4) Cut the vents into the wall inside the enclosure which should be 2″x4″ deep.

5) Install the metal window screen.

6) Install glazing and vent valves.

It is quite easy, inexpensive and doesn’t take a lot of time to implement the unit. It would give you satisfaction once you start generating your own energy. Normally people get confused, it will not only give you clean energy, you can reduce the energy bills considerably and have peace of mind.

Once you have solar air heater in your home, you can boast of having the best heating system which is clean, renewable and free.

DIY Solar Air Heater Guide

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With the growing demand of conventional energy and majority of the households using it across the world, there should be no surprise if the resources of the earth are getting depleted on regular basis. We have been using the resources available to us for thousands of years without actually contributing anything except the harmful polluted gases in the environment.

This is really shocking and we have to look for alternative resources to meet our energy requirements. With the rising population, this need has become even more important.

Home solar energy is being researched extensively these days, which can provide the required electricity in our homes and can be a cheap alternative. This source of energy being a simple and clean source does not harm the environment also.

People are becoming more aware about Photovoltaic (PV) solar power and have gained lot of popularity in the recent years. Gone are the days when solar power was available to most rich people of the society but now any one can use it. With the advanced technology and new storage facility the initial installation cost has become quite affordable.

With the availability of the material and other component, one can build own home solar power system from scratch. It no longer is a dream now, all the material can be found at the local hardware stores located in your locality. All you need is the skill to install your own solar panels that too in no time.

After having laid the PV panels, the other connection to the power supply should be left to the professional electrician. Home solar panels work better in the homes which has high sunshine levels. The excess energy produced is stored in the special batteries that can be used during the evening and night.

To start building your home solar power system can cost you around $2000 – $5000 and in some cases even for less. This is contrary to the common belief that installing solar power in homes needs thousands of dollars. Due to this many people get discouraged which is not true. It used to be expensive but with the latest technology the prices have come down drastically.

Now once people have realized that it does not cost much, more and more people have shown interest in getting installed their own solar power system. With the advanced technology chances are that you will be producing more energy than your needs, in such cases you can sell the extra power to the power companies and earn extra money.

With installation of your own PV power system, it is expected that your monthly power bills come down drastically and in some cases it can be as high as 80% reduction. As time is very hard right now and earning money is becoming difficult with each passing day, such an installation not only meets your energy needs, it will also reduce your energy bills and at the same time you can get extra income by selling the surplus power.

The maintenance is also very inexpensive, only few dollars should be sufficient and that too occasionally. Investing in a home solar power system is a good investment as you can recover your cost in few years.

It is quite also difficult to live without such gadgets which have become part of our life. Waging machines, electric stoves, electric pot and toaster, computers, rice cookers, juicer, blender, dishwater are now found in every house hold and the list endless.

For using such gadgets the electric consumption increases and we have to pay for this through monthly energy bills. One needs to find alternatives to reduce the electric consumption or develop another source of energy which is cheap, neat and clean.

When the energy that we use is curtailed, our home electric bill will come down drastically. There are many households and corporation have found a solution to their energy problem by using the energy provided by the sun. The converted sun’s energy can be used as an alternate source of electricity, this has the capability to reduce their energy bills considerably. Furthermore, this energy is clean and does not have adverse effect on the environment.

When installing a Photovoltaic (PV) solar power system, it is very important to understand the importance of solar energy, benefits and how things work after the installation. Before you install the PV system, a proper research is very important, it is normally seen that people follow anything which has benefits without having a proper understanding.

As we all know that the sun is the main source of energy and we cannot live without it, it is equally important for animals and plants too. Our food, water and our existence is totally dependent on sun.

The energy provided by the sun is natural and limitless. Now once the internet is available in most homes, it becomes easier to surf and get the desired details about the installation of solar power system. It is true that with the installation of solar system, you can reduce your monthly electric bills by using renewable energy to supplement your needs.

Even though the initial cost is quite high, it is a wise decision to install it as you can recover the cost in few years. If you are not in a capacity to install the system yourself, by all means, get professional help to have it install for you.

This may prove to be a boon for you, if your solar panels are producing more power than your needs, you can sell the surplus power to the power companies.

The present day solar panels are sure to last long, even some carry a warranty of 25 years for major parts. Before you think of buying solar panels, you must thoroughly understand the warrant and its terms and conditions, this will ensure that your equipment last for a longer period without giving any troubles.

It does not make sense that once you install the equipment and it does not function properly and you will have no options except remorse. Warranties are good both for buyer and the manufacturer, there are certain equipment which are excluded by the manufacturer and are not covered by any warranty, Different parts may have different warranties, for example parts and labor will carry a shorter warranty as compared to batteries and converters.

Photovoltaic (PV) panels which are branded have different warranties as compared to non brand units; this is due to quality control as the branded units have much better control in their production level. The brand manufacturers offer longer warranty which ensures long term protection especially against panel degradation and also functions.

You are to expect extended level of warranty coverage because the PV panels have no moving parts and have non corrosive frames which are made up of protective glass. Normally the parts covered under warranty outlive the warranty period. However you must see the price factor of such warranty because very often such warranties add to the total cost of your home solar project.

When you are buying a home solar kit, it should have complete coverage on panel removal, repair, shipping costs and reinstalling of any component. Another point to check is the credibility of the manufacturer or the contractor to fulfill the warranty obligations.

If the contractor is involved, there should be a clause in the warranty that protects the buyer in case contractor went into bankruptcy. This clause is very important as it would be very difficult to get the reimbursement later on. It is always a good idea if the warranty is purchased along with product, you should also remember that solar panels are not protected against vandalism, natural disasters or any other incident which is not in the control of the manufacturer or the contractor.

To ensure protection in such cases, it needs the property insurance company to be informed about such installation in your home. Even though the life of panels is very long, that does not mean that the product should be bought without any warranty.

Though the initial installation costs are very high, but the saving over the years will give you the desired benefits. If you think you would be saving money by not getting the warranty coverage on the solar panels, think again because you won’t know what will happen in the future. The panels may be faulty due to unknown causes.

A home solar power system is a great investment as the energy you get is free. To make sure you get the best deal, do a proper research in the market by visiting many shops before deciding which kit to buy.

Be wise in spending money on the solar panel installation, compare the warranties offered by the manufacturer or the contractor because it will be in your own interest to have a proper home work done. Such steps will save you from future troubles and you will be able to have free energy for a very long time.

I had a discussion with a friend of mine who is thinking of setting up his own home solar power system. The discussion reached a point where we were talking where to put the solar panels worth over $15,000.

There were many places which were discussed, some of the places were roofs, picnic shelters and carports. As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to locate a place where a bunch of Photovoltaic (PV) panels can be installed.

You need to consider many things like exposure to sun, the condition of roof, vandalism and the space availability on the roof. My suggestion was to build another carport and to me, it seemed to be a good idea. Apart from parking your car, the structure can be used to shield your car from the sun and rain. Now, it can also be used to generate electricity via the solar panels.

In the discussion, my friend mentioned the word “Pergola” which was a new term for me. To me, a Pergola sounds like an Italian opera, where there is lot of water around with a boat and an Italian man singing romantic songs.

To feed my curiosity, I went online and did a search on Pergola. As it turns out, it is a wooden structure usually built on a yard. Initially, I was a bit disappointed that my friend gave the suggestion because we live in a hot and humid area. I could visualize moisture damage on the wood and it needing regular replacement or repainting.

However, I saw some pictures of Pergola which already had solar panels installed on it. It is like something built on heavy timbers and does not have sidings.

If you were to installed PV panels on a Pergola, the following are some of the pros and cons:

• It looks nice, but weather may spoil its looks.
• Providing partial shade for your garden or a quiet place to drink tea in the afternoon.
• Allowing vine maple to creep on it which you have to trim sooner or later.

All in all, a Pergola can be a good place to set up the PV panels. Firstly, you need to custom design the Pergola to fit your yard and it should be directly under the sun for most of the time.

The roof trusses have to be designed so that solar panels can be installed easily. The type of timber used has to be of high quality so it will last a long time.

The solar panel roof is to be made water proof so it can offer shade when it rains. You can use metal roofing and attach the solar panels to the ribs of roof. The general idea is to create a double function of the structure of the Pergola.

However, my main concern is the cost of constructing the Pergola. If the investment is too high, it wouldn’t make any economic sense to go ahead with it.

When people choose to go green with their energy needs, they start thinking about installing solar panels at their home. It doesn’t mean that you can buy the first solar panel that you find in the market.

The solar panel you buy should be capable of producing the amount of power you need at home. If you look at your monthly electricity bill, you can find out how much electricity is consumed at your home during a month. If you divide the electricity consumed in a month by 30, you will get the amount of electricity you need for a day.

Electricity produced by a Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel is directly proportional to the amount of sunlight it gets. The longer it is exposed to sunlight, the more energy it can produce.

To find out the wattage of electricity produced by the solar panel, divide the amount of electricity you need for one day by the number of hours the solar panel is exposed to sunlight. If you think that the solar panel will get sunlight for 6 hours, divide your daily electricity need by 6. The resulting figure is to be then multiplied by 1.15.

The product you get is the wattage of electricity your solar panel can produce in a day with 6 hours of exposure to sunlight. Checking the wattage of the solar panel before you buy it is important to ensure that the panel produces enough electricity for your needs.

Another important thing you should check before buying your solar panel is the size and direction of your roof. If you think that your roof is strong enough to support the weight of the solar panel and other installations, you can contact any solar energy company to install the panel on your roof. If your roof is facing the south, it will still be better.

Remember to engage a company that has a clean track record and experience in installing solar panels. Poorly installed solar panels may not produce the amount of energy you expect. To compare the installation costs charged by different companies, it is better to take quotes from all the companies serving your area.

By comparing the solar panel installation quotes and checking on the business record of all the companies, you can easily find out the right company to install the solar panels at your home. Before the company arrives to install the PV panel, choose the area of your roof suitable for installing the panel.

The area you choose should face the south. If there are any obstacles which might prevent the solar panel from getting sun light, remove them beforehand. While the technicians install the panel, check whether they are following the right procedure.

Once the solar panel is installed, clean it from time to time to remove the dust and debris that may get deposited on it. If the panel is covered with dust, its efficiency to produce power may be affected. A well maintained solar panel is expected to produce electricity for a period of 30 years.

Other than regular cleaning of the solar panel, there are no additional costs once the solar panel is installed. This is the reason why installing solar panel at your home is encouraged. The energy produced by the solar panel is stored in batteries and it can be used whenever you need it.

The greatest advantage of installing solar panel is that the environment is not at all harmed in the power production process. There are no harmful gases produced by a solar panel.

Advancement in solar energy technology has made it possible to light not only the interior but also the exterior of a house. Solar outside lightings serve different purposes; they light the outside areas and add beauty to your surroundings. They help to reduce the amount on your electricity bill.

No wires are required and you don’t have to be afraid of getting electrocuted. Outside solar lightings are available in different styles and designs to suit everybody’s preferences. These solar lamps don’t need any maintenance once they are set up. The batteries are incorporated into the design of the outside solar lamps.

The outside solar lamps can function without any human interference. They have their own solar cells to convert sun light into electricity, batteries to store the electricity produced and LED bulbs to give out light at night. The batteries are expected to last for 3 to 4 years.

A LED bulb is quite different from an incandescent bulb. A LED bulb gives out brighter light than an incandescent bulb. The light from a LED bulb is more dispersed whereas the light produced by an incandescent bulb is confined to the bulb itself.

The life span of a Led bulb is much longer than the life of an incandescent bulb. LED bulbs don’t produce any heat while they burn but incandescent bulbs give out heat when they light.

Solar outside lamps with LED bulbs can be fixed at any place but incandescent bulbs need wires to connect them to power supply. All safety measures must be in place for an incandescent outside bulb but a solar outside lamp doesn’t need any of the safety precautions.

The place you choose to set your solar outside lighting should be clear of any obstructions. The solar panel should get plenty of sunlight to charge the batteries fully. If there are any tree branches, remove them before installing the lamps. Once the lamp is installed, it will take one or two days for the batteries to get fully charged for the first time.

Once the batteries are fully charged and the outside solar lamp is operational, you have nothing more to do. The only things you need to do from time to time are to clean the solar panel of its dust and replace the battery after three or four years.

The outside solar lamp has light sensors which will automatically turn on and off the light. When it is dark, the lamp lights itself and at dawn, the lamp turns off automatically. Solar outside lights are available in a variety of designs and styles. They are used both for lighting purpose and for decoration.

Solar lights which resemble animals when lit will be beautiful additions to your garden. There are also solar lights which turn on whenever a motion is detected in their vicinity. They are very ideal to scare away thieves. Solar outside lamps will be very suitable to decorate your home during Christmas.

With solar lamps to light your home and its surroundings, you don’t have to worry about a heavy electricity bill. Even when the mains electricity fails you, you will have light at your home. You can also be proud of being friendly to the nature.

Solar power as alternative source of energy can greatly reduce the electricity bills and provide great savings over times. But in course of times the dirt and residue accumulates over the solar cells and thus the cells don’t work as efficiently as they used to.

Thus for optimal performance these dirt and grime should be removed periodically and the panel should be properly cleaned. So, every household having a solar system in place must know the appropriate methods to clean his power panels.

The solar cells are quite delicate so the panels need to be cleaned with care. The cells transform solar energy to electricity when they are clear; so cleaning them increases the efficiency but if any scratch occurs in the process, it not only wastes the time involved in cleaning process but also proves costly to replace the damaged cells.

Anybody interested in reducing the maintenance cost by cleaning the solar panel himself, he should follow the proper procedure for the do-it-yourself (DIY) to avoid any unpleasant situation where any such cleaning not only get wasted but also proves a burden on the wallet in replacing damaged solar cells.

The first step of do-it-yourself to clean your solar panel begins with regular inspection of the solar cells. By regularly inspecting them, you will able to find out when they get dirty enough and the accumulated dirt starts affecting the efficiency of the cells.

In some areas like desert, where lots of dusty storms took place, more regular inspection and cleaning are required. While inspecting solar panels you should ensure that solar cells do not have any cracks and all the connections are tight and there is no sparking in any connections.

Cleaning the solar cells is just like cleaning the window as the cells are protected by outer glass layers. You simply need warm water, mild detergent, soft sponge and soft drying cloth. Ready-made cleaning liquids can also be used which are readily available at the stores.

The simply best and cost effective method to clean solar panels are spraying warm mild detergent water on the surface and carefully sponge off the dirt and grime. And then again spray simply warm water and clean with soft drying cloth.

Once all the grime has been removed one should ensure that there is no soap left on the glass surface as any soap leftovers might result in forming of streaks affecting the performance of solar cells. In using ready-made solar panel cleaners, you should be careful in reading the instructions before cleaning with them.

However, if you feel uncomfortable in doing yourself you can always hire a professional to do the job for you in a bit more professional way without any worry of applying wrong product on your solar panels. There are a lot of professional companies that specialize in cleaning household products.

And finally whether you hire any professional or do it yourself, you should spare some time to make sure that the solar panels are thoroughly cleaned and there is nothing hampering the solar cells from converting solar energy to electricity for you.

New solar panels are a bit costly so if you are on a tight budget, you can buy some used solar panels. The price difference between the new solar panel and the used one may be considerably high.

And if you have luck on your side, you can get a working solar panel for just a fraction of what a newer panel would have cost you. Now the question is how much these solar panels will cost normally.

Well that depends upon whether you install these panels yourself or hire a professional to do the job for you and in that case it’s going to cost you more. It also depends upon the capacity you want to install at your residence. For example you can calculate the cost by planning capacity generation or decide how much investment you going to make i.e. $6 to $9 a watt and add the required installation charges which can be considerable.

So it will be good idea to purchase your Photovoltaic (PV) panels from a wholesale store to get it at low prices. Also, keep in mind that the technology is constantly improving and the governments are also encouraging environmentally clean technologies by providing subsidy.

At a wholesale shop you might get attractive offers of newly launched models of solar cells or get special discount if any particular company wants to clear its stock before launching new model. Wholesale store have a lot of verities of products manufactured by different companies that compete and have different price lists. So you can get a solar panel more situated to your budget.

PV panels can also be purchased from any online store and it doesn’t require you to be very expert even when buying used panels, but it is always helpful if you know the basic guidelines. While taking any decision it should always be kept in mind that the technology involved in solar cell manufacturing is constantly improving and comparatively newer solar cells are used these days.

You can find that a few older solar cells are still being used. The first thing you will notice about these older solar panels is that they are rather much larger than the newer ones when compared under same wattage category. So they are going to acquire more space and if you have got enough space, these older used solar panels can be very cost effective options to go green.

So after getting these used solar panels, the first thing you should do is to remove the Photovoltaic cells from the base on which they are mounted to. After dismounting them you should inspect them for loose connector, cracked and damaged solar cells due to moisture or otherwise. These are the very common ailments of solar cells which can be easily repaired by re-soldering and tightening the loosed connections.

Because of these common causes, some house owners think that the entire solar panel is faulty and just replace them. Due to high cost of traditional electricity, many people are now beginning to think to use this technology to save money as well as benefiting the economy.

People are beginning to mount their residence with residential solar cells created particularly for residential use. Many stores have opened up selling brand new as well as used solar panels. Due to tough economy or otherwise some people might prefer used or cheap PV panels.

Homemade Energy Program

If you are thinking of ways to cut down your home solar power system cost even further, why not make your own solar panels. Check out Ben Ford solar guide for step by step instruction on how to get started.

Do you want to know how to build your own Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar water heater and save up to 33% of your monthly electricity bill? If you do, be sure to check out Tom Hayden Simple Heaters home solar water heater building guide.

One of the biggest usages of electricity at home is our home water heater unit. If you are living in a cold climate area, the water heater is very essential to heat the water for our shower, washing dishes and cleaning.

Since an electric water heater uses a heating coil powered by electric current, the power it consumes every time the unit is switched on is quite substantial.

Is there a cheaper solution? Well, you can build a home solar water heater yourself to save money.

DIY Home Solar Water Heater

Tom Hayden Simple Heaters was specially written to help anyone to make their own homemade solar water heating unit. The idea is to help you to set up your own solar water heater with a budget of less than $70!

Tom Hayden is a solar energy enthusiast and he has been studying, building and using solar energy for over 30 years. His guide was written based on his years of experience using simple, easy and affordable components to construct a solar water heater.

What good is a DIY home solar water heater unit if it is too complicated to build or cost too much to construct? Hayden’s guide was made simple to comprehend and without any technical jargon so that any average Joe could understand it.

If you can read and understand his instructions in the guide, you can pretty much build the system on your own.

Hayden also kept his guide selling relatively cheap so anyone could afford it. The Simple Heaters guide is selling for only $29.99. Every purchase of his guide comes with 4 additional bonus e-books on renewable and green energy.

Hayden’s manual also comes with a 60 days money back guarantee. If you are not happy with your purchase, you can ask for a full refund within 60 days from your purchase date. For more information, click on the link below.

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