Have you noticed that your electricity bill has gone up even though you are not doing anything differently? You are not alone! This is happening pretty much everywhere and it’s time we do something about it.
There are several ways to keep the power bill in check, but the easiest one and the best one is to switch to solar panels.
Here we are going to talk about the benefits of using solar panels in your home. Learn why and how they can help you lead a better life that’s environmentally friendly and that will reduce your living costs.
1. Renewable Energy Source
There are a lot of benefits to solar panels and one of the most important things is that solar energy is a renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in pretty much all the areas of the world and this type of energy is available every day.
Unlike other sources of energy, we cannot run out of solar energy. This type of energy will be accessible as long as we have the sun.
Sunlight will be available to us for at least another 5 billion years, according to the scientists who say that in 5B years the sun is going to die.
2. Reduced Electricity Bills
By using solar panels, you will be meeting some of the energy needs with the electricity generated by them. With that, your energy bill will drop.
The amount of money you will save depends on the size of the solar system and the electricity or heat you are using in your home.
Did you know that there is also a way to earn money from it? Depending on the country you live in, there is a possibility to receive payments for the surplus energy that you export back to the grid.
If you install a large solar system and you generate more electricity than you can use you can make an agreement with the companies in your country and export it back. However, you should know that your solar panel must be connected to the grid for this to be an available option.
3. Diverse Application
Another great thing about solar panels is that solar energy can be used for many different purposes. You can generate heat (solar thermal) or electricity (photovoltaics).
This type of energy is available anywhere and that means that is can be used to produce electricity in areas that don’t have access to the energy grid. It can be used to distill water in regions that have limited clean water supplies.
Solar energy can be used to power satellites in space! Isn’t all that amazing? Did you know that solar energy can be integrated into the materials used in buildings?
There are already companies on the market that produce transparent solar energy windows. So in the near future, you won’t need solar panels on the rooftop or the back of your property, you can have them integrated in the windows or other materials.
4. Low Maintenance Costs
The solar panels or solar energy systems don’t really require a lot of maintenance. You just need to keep them clean but cleaning them a couple of times per year will be enough.
If you are not sure how to do that, or how often to clean them, you can contact a specialized cleaning company. Their services would cost you about $50, but that depends on your location and the company of choice.
You can buy solar panels from a lot of places, and 7x.energy suggests that most of the reliable manufacturers offer a 20-25 year warranty.
There are no moving parts in the solar panels, so there is no risk of wear and tear. The inverter is the only part that needs to be changed once every 5-10 years. This is because it is constantly converting solar energy into electricity and heat.
Another thing that may need to be changed or checked once in a while is the cables. They need maintenance so you can make sure that your solar system runs at maximum efficiency.
Basically, the only thing you’d need to invest in is the solar panels alone. After you are done with that you will spend very little on maintenance and repair work.
5. Increased Home Value
As a homeowner, this is a really important part. When you buy a home that has solar panels it means that the electricity bills will be lower.
Solar panels increase the attractiveness of the home on the market the same way that homes who are in school districts or have low property taxes do.
There was a study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and it showed that homes who have solar panels sell about 20% faster and for more than 15% more money than the same homes without any type of a solar system.
The average price of a home increases for about $17,000 just by installing a solar system.
6. Secure Investment
We all know that utility company is notorious for their unreliable energy prices. They can go up in less than a day and that is becoming a trend more and more.
If you get a solar panel for your home and do simple math, you will be able to calculate how much energy will be generated.
You will be able to check the price for it and you will know the fixed energy costs for the next 10, 20 or more years. There will be no surprises with the solar systems and if you clean them regularly, you will be able to use them for generations.
7. Guaranteed Performance
As we mentioned before, the performance of the solar panels is guaranteed for about 25 years with a warranty. The industry standard guaranteed 80% performance after those 25 years.
The real lifespan of the solar system is actually much longer. Chances are that your panels will generate a good amount of electricity for more than 40 years down the line.
There are also a lot more reasons why installing a solar panel in your home is the right thing to do. However, what we are mostly concerned about is money. And solar systems will save you money in the long run. Have you had any experience with solar panels before?