4 Reasons Why Installing A Solar Power System Will Increase Your Home Value




Solar power is generated by converting sunlight into electricity, either directly with the help of Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, or indirectly utilizing concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, which use lenses or mirrors to focus a vast area of sunlight into a small beam.

The value of any property that gets electric supply from solar panels is generally very high. This is due to the following advantages in installing a solar power system in the house:

1) The cost of electricity supplied by the grid is relatively high when compared with solar energy.
It means that if the property gets its electricity from the solar power system, there is no need to get power from the grid or power requirement from the grid is reduced.

If no power is drawn from the grid, there is no need to pay any energy costs to the grid. On the other hand, if there is reduction in power requirements from the grid, it will result in overall savings in energy costs.

2) Solar power systems are insulated from future increases due to inflation, as the increases are approved by the Department of Public Utilities.

3) Solar power systems are eligible for accelerated depreciation for the purpose of tax. This results in appreciation in value for the property very fast.

4) Properties powered by solar energy have much higher resale value, to the extent of 17%, than the properties without solar power system.

Many surveys have indicated that properties that use solar energy were sold at an average of 20% faster than the properties without solar power systems. According to the assessment of Nevin, Bender and Gazan published in the Appraisal Journal, the benefits of installing a solar energy system in a property can be easily expressed in financial terms.

As validated by the Appraisal Institute, a solar energy system enhances the value of a home by $20,000 for every $1000 savings in annual operating costs. The underlying justification is that the savings from the reduced operating costs can be utilized on a higher mortgage without any change in the net monthly cost of ownership.

The percentage of costs recovered in a solar energy system is much higher than in any other property improvements. In other words, most of the solar systems will recover its investment much faster than any other asset; in fact, recovery far exceeds 100% of the cost.

The savings from a solar energy system is so enormous that even according to the conservative estimate; return on investment over a period of 25 years is expected to be between 220% and 350%. This reduction in costs may be much more substantial if power costs from public utilities continue to move upwards.

The latest comprehensive study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the homes across various subdivisions constructed by several California builders revealed an interesting comparison between homes using solar power and those not powered by solar energy.

It showed that solar-powered homes were sold 20% faster and 17% more than the corresponding non-solar-powered houses. In a specific subdivision alone all the 257 solar-powered homes were sold within a year, 2 years earlier than anticipated. Certain interesting facts came to light during discussions with the home buyers.

If solar power system was already installed in the house and its cost was included in the purchase price, buyers were likely to opt for a house with a solar power system.

However, if the seller is to yet to decide about setting up a solar power system at the time of purchase, the buyer dropped the idea of buying that house altogether. The homes that utilize solar energy fetched a price of anywhere between $380,000 and $500,000 and in view of the heavy demand, some homes were sold as high as $600,000!

Another interesting aspect about the property with solar energy system is that even when the system gets old the property is expected to appreciate in value corresponding with the increases in electricity rates. For instance, the higher the increase in electricity tariff, the greater will be the appreciation in value; the ratio being as high as 20 to 1.

With the passage of time, solar energy systems get old and can generate power only at 80% of capacity up to 25 years, resulting in accelerated depreciation for the equipment. It is for this reason solar power equipment carry a warranty for 25 years till the end of their useful life.

Home buyers will be prepared to pay at least 100% of its original cost so that they can retrofit the solar power system considering the ever increasing electricity rates. On the whole, the present or future owner of the property will be assured to get back their investment on solar power system, if an occasion arises in future to sell it.

Installing Home Solar Panels – Making Your Home Energy Independent




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.

Garden Solar Light – Lit Up Your Backyard Using Solar Energy




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.