Long Term Benefits of Solar-Powered Homes

Cost-Efficient

Using this free renewable energy all year long means that you will always pay a low or no energy bill. Therefore, the cash being returned to your pocket every month can help repay the initial cost of installing the solar panels, which can be quite high. Installing solar panels in the United States has numerous incentives for homeowners. You can get tax deductions and credits from the federal and local governments to keep your carbon footprint low. And this can help repay your initial investment. The amount of cash you will be saving every month with solar energy will depend on:

• The size and capacity of your solar energy system
• Your home’s electricity consumption
• Have you leased or purchased your system
• The number of direct hours of sunlight in your region
• The angle and size of your home’s roof
• And the local electricity rates per kWh

Solar energy is normally generated when the sun is at its peak, and with a reliable system, you can receive some cash from the excess energy your system generates. Plus, with the cost of being on the power grid inflating every year, solar energy remains a reliable and unstoppable renewable energy that can never be monopolized or purchased.

Read More: How Much Does Solar Installation Cost?

Increases Your Home’s Value

Installing solar panels is considered to be an upgrade, just like renovating your bathroom or kitchen. Therefore, installing a solar system can increase the value of your home and make it even more marketable. In fact, appraisers are currently considering solar installation when appraising the house when selling it. Plus, buyers have become more educated and know the benefits of installing solar power, and most of them ask for homes with solar systems.

According to a study conducted by Zillow, installing solar panels can increase the value of a home by up to 4.1% in some states. And this equates to about $9,274 more than the value of the properties with no solar panels. Therefore, installing solar panels can do more than just reduce your utility bills and carbon footprint. It can earn you more cash if you ever plan on selling your home in the future. After all, homes with solar panels attract the right kind of clients and even sell faster than the other homes.

A Secured Investment

A solar panel uses the sun’s energy to generate renewable and free electricity for a solar-powered home. Therefore, investing in this system will allow you to harness the sun’s energy which any homeowner can enjoy for free. After all, the sun is the best energy source on the planet, and each hour it shines, it radiates more than enough energy to serve the entire planet for a whole year.

The good thing about the sun is that it can still produce electricity even when the days are cloudy; therefore, it can be profitable to even people in states not known for having bright sunshine like Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. In some places in the U.S., an hour of the afternoon sun is more than the country’s electricity demand for an entire year. Solar energy can help you deal with the ever-increasing cost of electricity in your state.

Low Maintenance Cost

Compared to the houses on the power grid, solar-powered homes require little to no maintenance. In fact, an electrical connection requires more maintenance than a solar system in its entire lifetime. And that is because it never experiences power surges which are known to destroy our electronics. A properly installed solar system will require less maintenance, and some of the common costs include:

• Cleaning of the solar panels
• Wire maintenance
• Monitoring any wiring issue

Reduces Your Carbon Footprint

As a renewable source of energy, solar energy can be replenished, unlike fossil fuels. And during the conversion process, solar energy produces little to no emissions. This is one of the main reasons people are going off the grid, especially environmentally conscious homeowners. After all, an average home in the U.S. can produce over 14,920 pounds of emissions every year. And reducing this by even a small percentage can go a very long way in improving the environment.

Luckily, installing solar panels can lower your house’s impact on the environment. The sun is partially green due to its ability to produce power with no emissions. Therefore, installing solar panels can reduce your need for conventional utilities which use fossil fuel. Plus, every kilowatt of solar power installed can reduce your house’s emissions by up to 3,000 pounds every year. For an 8 kilowatt solar home system, this means lowering your carbon emissions by about 24,000 pounds annually. And while you might never eliminate your resident’s carbon emission entirely, installing a solar system will go a very long way in lowering your home’s emissions.

Generally, energy consumption is quite high in summer, which is actually the main contributor to a home’s average carbon footprint. And that is because of the air conditioners running in all homes across the country. Therefore, your home’s energy bill can rise dramatically in summer and dip in fall and spring. In winter, the energy bill increases slightly. Luckily, the long sunny days in summer can generate the needed energy to power the air conditioner. Therefore, with solar panels, you will have more than enough electricity to power your home while protecting the environment.

Solar Power Has Multiple Applications

Other than lighting up your home and powering all the electronic devices, solar energy has numerous applications. And one of the most common solar-driven devices is the solar water heater used to heat water in most homes. Solar energy can even help you pump water from the borehole or river for irrigation purposes. And that is because the solar system has powerful batteries that can capture solar energy during the day and help power different devices in the house.

Read More: How Solar Power Can Benefit Your Indoor Air Quality

Solar Energy Can Keep Your Swimming Pool Heated All Year Round

According to the American masters swimming’ rule book, the temperature for pools to be used for competitions should be between 77°F and 82°F. On the other hand, the elderly and children need the pool to be at least 80°F; therefore, you must heat your pool. But heating it using electricity can increase your energy bills by up to 30% every month. So instead of incurring this cost every month, why don’t you install solar pool heaters in your swimming pool?

There are many affordable solar pool heaters in the market that can help keep your pool warm all day long. These heaters are reliable and can increase your pool’s temperature to the recommended temperature. And the cash you save for using solar panels can help repay your initial installment on the solar heating system.

A solar heated pool will always be about 53.6°F warmer than the unheated ones in the same region. A pool heater can keep your swimming pool warmer than the other pools all year long. But make sure you cover it at night and in winter to reduce the rate at which the heat is being lost. Installing solar pool heaters is the most cost-effective and efficient way to always keep your swimming pool heated all year long.