Is It Time to Buy Solar Panels for Your Home Yet?
If you’re considering installing a solar power system in your home, then you’re far from being the first. More and more people are coming to understand the dangers of climate change and the benefits of sustainable energy sources like solar power. As a result, more and more homeowners are making the choice to add residential solar panels to their home’s roof.
Naturally, before you install a solar power system in your home, you are going to want to weigh the pros and cons of committing to the effort. Here is a breakdown of some of the biggest advantages and drawbacks to using solar power to help you get started.
Drawbacks to Solar Power
- Cost
There’s no way around it: setting up a solar power system will cost money. You will have to pay for the panels, installation of the panels, a solar inverter, wiring, and if you want to be able to store power, solar batteries.
However, you can mitigate the costs by comparing different solar options in your area. Also, remember that the whole point of a solar power system is to reduce your reliance on the power grid, which means lower electricity costs. This means that if you use it long enough, then your solar power system will pay for itself.
- Space
The more solar power you want, the more solar panels you need. To really get your money’s worth, you may find yourself covering your entire roof with solar panels, and maybe even adding some panels in the backyard, too.
It’s important to remember, though, that today’s solar panels aren’t like the ones of decades ago. Today’s panels can come in different styles and are much more aesthetically pleasing. Some may even be almost indistinguishable from an ordinary roof covering.
- Reliance on the Sun
If you go completely off-grid, then you are going to need to buy solar batteries. Otherwise, every time the sun sets or the clouds move in, you’ll be in the dark. However, most people tie their system into the grid so that the power company can pick up the slack when the sun isn’t accessible.
Benefits to Solar Power
- Lower Electricity Bills
The main reason why many people choose to switch to solar power is so they don’t have to pay as much for electricity. As mentioned above, you will probably tie your solar power into the local power grid, so you may still have to pay for electricity occasionally.
However, if the area where you live is like most, then you will be able to sign up for net metering. What this means is that when you need extra power, you’ll buy it from the power company.
But when you are drawing more power from the sun than you need, you can feed that energy into the power grid and get energy credits, meaning that next time you need a power company boost, you can get part or all of that electricity for free.
- Better for the Environment
As more people move to solar power, reliance on fossil fuels diminishes. By switching to a solar power system, you are doing your part towards reducing our overall carbon footprint and helping work towards a cleaner, more abundant environment.
- Renewable Resource
Unlike other sources of energy, we will never run out of solar energy for as long as the Earth is viable, and your using it doesn’t take a resource away from anything else. You can enjoy as much solar power as you can grab for as long as you want with confidence.