Purchasing and Installing a Solar System
can be Quite Expensive
Installing solar panels on your home can reduce your electricity bill and minimize your carbon footprint. However the upfront expense of purchasing and installing a solar system can be
quite expensive, even with included government rebates. the expense and reduced electricity bills from putting up solar panels, and determining if the roof on your home is positioned to take advantage of solar are some key questions to look at before making a jump.
For homeowners who have a roof section which faces toward the South with few obstacle, such as trees or tall buildings will gain the most benefit from putting up solar panels.
Once you obtain an estimate for how large of a system you need, an online calculator will help determine expenses and how much time it is going to take to get your money back. The calculator considers costs of equipment, loan interest rates on the loan, and tax savings. One calculator example may be found at
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/renewables/estimator.
Additionally programs provided by the government can provide strong financial incentives on the entire system, however these offers change often. The
http://www.dsireusa.org site has information on what's available currently in your area. Homeowners should also check with the local utility provider.
A typical installation of a home solar-panel can run as much as $20,000 or even more, and that's after inducements, in a report by the U.S. Department of Energy. Another alternative is to lease the system through a leasing company, like SolarCity, and have them install the whole system at no out of pocket homeowner cost, and send a monthly statement for the system. In numerous cases, the cost of electricity will be less, although the solar system won’t ever be owned.
Typically incentives and rebates are available only when the homeowners do the job themselves, or makes use of a licensed contractor When using a contractor, make sure they have a valid state license doing an "on-line license check-up" at
http://www.cslb.ca.gov. One more this is to be sure they have liability insurance
Saving Energy
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