Best Energy Uses of Solar for the Home

July 20, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Energy Efficiency, Solar Power

When you’re looking for what kind of energy source you should be using, pick solar for home.  Solar energy is free, plentiful, and, if you do it right, not all that expensive to install and run.  And it produces no harmful emissions, and can help reduce your overall carbon footprint, and is a lot cheaper than buying a hybrid car. So here are some reasons why solar for home energy should be your choice.

You have open roof areas just waiting to be used.  Unlike wind turbines, solar panels are flat and can be installed right on your roof.  Most roofs are perfectly angled already to best catch the run, making solar for home a great option.

Solar panels still collect energy when it isn’t sunny.  Despite what a lot of people think, solar for home panels will still collect energy all day long, even if it’s overcast.  They don’t need the sun to be shining brightly at all time to work.  As long as it is daytime, they are collecting energy.

You can use solar for home energy without having solar panels installed. Because of the introduction of super-efficient LED lights, most or all of your outdoor lights used at night can be solar-powered, charged during the day to burn brightly all night. Pool lights, walkways, outdoor lights, shed lights, and even decorative ambient lights when you’re entertaining, they can all be used with solar for home energy.

Solar for home energy is more dependable than wind.  As was mentioned above, solar energy panels work even when it is overcast out.  Wind turbines, although also a great form of alternative energy, can only work when there is actually a wind blowing.  While some locations have almost constant wind and are ideally suited to this renewable energy source, with using solar for home energy you are guaranteed that it will work, regardless of where you live.

When asked, most people said that the one thing keeping them from using solar for home energy, they responded that they thought the cost would be prohibitive.  What those people didn’t know, is that there are ways for you to build your own solar panels for a fraction of the cost of getting them professionally installed.  Using these DIY kits, you can build your own panels and start using solar for home energy sooner than you think.  Reducing your energy bill and your carbon footprint has never been easier.

Click Here Now to Check Out Earth 4 Energy!” and how you can start building your own panels and using solar for home energy today!

How a Pool Solar Heater Works

July 20, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Energy Efficiency, Solar Power

Using a pool solar heater is a great way to use a renewable energy source and save yourself a lot of money.  Unless you live in the tropics, you’re most likely in need of a pool heater all year round.  If you’re using an electric pool heater, that can add up to quite a lot of money over the course of a year.  Switch to a pool solar heater, and you’ll see an amazing amount of savings.

Pool solar heaters work by heating the water through a number of solar panels, which, when exposed to sunlight, absorb the heat and transfer it to your pool water.  Contrary to popular belief, you do not need direct, hot sunlight for this to work. Pool solar heaters even work on overcast days.

Unlike home solar heaters, pool solar heaters do not generate and store electrical energy.  Instead, the water is heated by running through a sequence of solar panels, fed through the cells by your swimming pool pump, much like it pumps water through your filter to clean it.

The pool solar heater panels can be installed either on our roof, but then you may need a stronger pump to get the pool water up there.  If you have the room, it is better to install the panels closer to the pool at ground level, where your regular pool pump should suffice.  Wherever you choose to place your pool solar heater panels, you will need to ensure that they are angles correctly to catch the maximum amount of light possible.

And because the pool solar heater has a thermostatic controller, you don’t have to worry about the pool getting too hot, either. It will make sure that the temperature of the pool doesn’t go above the temperature that you prefer.

Depending on where you live, you may still need to supplement your pool solar heater with a traditional gad or electric one if you plan to run your pool through the winter.  While pool solar heaters are very effective, there is only so much they can do if you plan to heat the pool while it is freezing out.  Even if you do have to supplement, a pool solar heater will still help to keep energy bills to an absolute minimum.

One important thing to remember when using a pool solar heater is that you absolutely must make sure to use a pool cover then the pool is not in use.  Most of the heat lost in pools is lost outside the pool itself.  Using a cover will make the effort of your pool solar heater that much more effective.

To find out more about alterative methods of energy, Click Here Now to Check Out Earth 4 Energy!”

Why You Should Install Home Solar Panels

July 20, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Energy Efficiency, Solar Power

When they were first introduced, it was prohibitively expensive for regular people to get home solar panels.  While everyone liked the idea of using the sun to generate power for their house, the cost of home solar panels was so high that it would have taken years and years to recoup the initial cost of getting home solar panels installed.  And many people who would have liked to have had home solar panels simply couldn’t afford the high initial outlay.

But the renewable energy market has been growing in leaps and bounds in recent years.  Rising fossil fuels prices and the current political situation has made people realize that we need to be looking for our own renewable energy sources to lessen our dependence on other countries.  Add in global warming and the carbon footprint a traditionally-heated house has, and home solar panels are starting to make more and more sense.

Because of the resurgence in interest in home solar panels and the advancement in the technologies used to make them in the years since they were introduced, the price of getting home solar panels have decreased dramatically.  It is now affordable for every homeowner to have home solar panels or other kind of renewable energy source to help reduce or even eliminate their energy bill and dramatically reduce their carbon footprint.

It can still be a pit pricey for the average person to get home solar panels installed.  While the cost of the actual materials for the home solar panels isn’t that high, many companies still charge through the nose for installation and service.  They are really doing the renewable energy industry a disservice, as one of the most common misconceptions about home solar panels and other forms of renewable energy is that it is still too expensive for the average person.

Thankfully, there are now do-it-yourself kits available for those people who are determined and committed to finding alternate means of energy for their homes.  Whether you pick wind turbines or solar home panels, there are options for every home and landscape to have an inexpensive way of providing their home with renewable energy.

Once you have the plans for the home solar panels, you can buy the components you need either from a big box building store or find them online and get them shipped right to your home.  The cost of building home solar panels yourself is about $200 per panel, a fraction of what an independent company would charge you. To find out more about how you can build your own home solar panel, Click Here Now to Check Out Earth 4 Energy!”

Uses of Solar Power

July 16, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Solar Power

Solar power is a safe and popular alternative source of energy. In simple words, solar power refers to the energy generated from sunlight. There are different methods for harnessing solar energy for your day-to-day needs. In recent years, there has been increased interest and talk about the benefits of solar power. The increased interest in solar power largely due to three factors: one is our escalating energy bills, second is our depleting fossil fuel reserves, and finally the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels.

Solar power addresses the concerns quite well because it uses sunlight for generating energy, which is available free, and it is harmless to the environment. This is why many domestic and commercial establishments are switching to solar power to meet their energy requirements. Moreover, solar power is of great value for use in remote locations where you do not have conventional sources of power. Solar power is also widely used by owners of Recreational Vehicles (RV) and luxury boats.

Solar Power at your home

Solar power is being noticed for its widespread use at homes. Solar powered lights are quite common for garden lighting and some people are using it even for indoor lighting. Solar power is undoubtedly a viable energy source for your home because it has no recurring cost and a very low, almost negligible, maintenance cost.

Photovoltaic Tiles for Your Home

The big concern regarding the use of solar power is the bulky size of solar panels. However, this concern has largely been addressed with the development of small solar photovoltaic cells and the solar photovoltaic roof shingles. The solar photovoltaic roof shingles or tiles look quite similar to your normal roof shingles and provide you the freedom from large solar panels.

You can use photovoltaic tiles to supply electrical power for your home use. This electrical power can be used to heat water, and even heat your house. Some people also use solar power to heat the pool. The solar power generated by the PV shingles is just like the normal power you use for your everyday needs.

Solar Water Pumps

Solar power is being used to power water pumps in remote areas. Although windmills used to be the main source of power for the water pumps, recently the solar power has increasingly become the preferred source.

The government provides grants to people for purchase and installation of solar power devices such as solar energy panels and solar photovoltaic singles. Using solar power really gives you a double benefit as you are not only preventing environmental damage but also you are also cutting down your electricity bills. If you are not able to use solar power for your house on your own, you still have the option of buying the solar power from the grid.

Steve Peters is a regular contributor for Solar Energy Tips

Steve Peters is a regular contributor for Solar Energy Tips