What Do I Actually Get When I Buy Residential Solar Panels?
Every passing year, climate change deeply impacts the nature of our weather. Today, it’s not uncommon to go lengthy durations in the summer where rain seems to never come. It’s day after day of sunny, hot, and humid weather. And all that heat can cause electricity bills to skyrocket.
But this same problem is also one of the reasons why going solar makes such good sense. Not only does solar help combat climate change, but it also allows you to take full advantage of all that excess sunshine.
When you buy residential solar, your solar panels are only part of the system. The panels get installed on your roof, but inside the home is where all the other equipment will be located. This includes the solar inverter, electrical panel, and any batteries if you want the ability to store the excess energy your system creates.
These, of course, are the physical components that make up a solar power system, but what do you really get when you buy residential solar panels?
Power Peace of Mind
Lower energy bills is one of the most common reasons why homeowners choose to go solar, but one thing that you’ll get that probably doesn’t get enough coverage is power peace of mind. With batteries connected to your system, you can enjoy reliable and stable electricity day and night, even when the local power grid goes down. With solar panels and battery storage, you will always have power when you need it.
Affordable Financing Options
Solar costs have dropped substantially in recent years, but if we’re honest, it still costs a homeowner a chunk of money to have solar panels installed on their home. However, the good thing is that you don’t have to pay for your system all up front. Today there are a range of different financing options available that can help split up the cost of your system into affordable monthly payments. In many cases, the monthly payment will even be covered in part by the savings you’ll get on your energy bills, resulting in even less out of pocket costs.
Tax Benefits
Not only does financing help take the sting out of your pocketbook, you will also have the opportunity to take advantage of Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs that will help further reduce your initial costs. It is important to note that these financial incentives for solar are only available to those who choose to purchase or finance their systems. Leased solar does not qualify.
Net Metering Benefits
If you live in a state that permits net metering, then there’s a chance that you may even be able to sell any excess electricity produced by your solar panels to your local utility company. Depending on how your utility works, they will either pay you for the electricity directly or provide you with credits on your electric bill that will help you save even more money, although most typically provide the credits.
Higher Home Value
Homes with solar panels not only sell faster, but they also sell for more money than other similar homes not equipped with solar. In essence, having solar installed on your home increases your home’s value by roughly the same amount as what your solar installation cost. Few home improvement projects offer the ROI of solar panels. Of course, this benefit is only available to those who purchase their solar systems. Rented solar can have an adverse effect on your home’s value simply because of the fact that the lease will need to be taken over by the new homeowners.
Improved Curb Appeal
Modern roof-mounted solar panels look sleek and sharp, and they can really accentuate a home’s curb appeal. This is especially beneficial for homes with roofs that are in still in good condition despite not looking the best.
A Sense of Pride
By going solar, you will feel a sense of pride because you will doing your part to reverse the damage that’s being done to the environment. Unlike with grid-based power, solar is pollution-free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation. Solar also doesn’t rely on foreign oil and fossil fuels, and having it installed helps generate more local jobs in the renewable energy industry.
No other home improvement projects offers as much to a household as solar. Simply having safe and dependable electricity at the touch of your hand whenever you need it is enough to make this decision an easy one. But when you consider everything else that you get when you have solar panels installed on your home, the choice is even easier.