Is there a right time to install a solar system? Is it going to work in the rain or snow?
Those are the questions we hear continuously from people.
The answer is straightforward: You don’t need to worry about the weather to invest in a solar system for your house.
Why? Because most solar panels are built to handle a wide range of climates and weather conditions, including heat, thunder, storms, and snow.
Does the uncertainty over electricity cost make you worry all the time and you’re not sure how exactly installing a solar panel can save you money?
It’s because you hear a lot of myths and fallacies about installing solar panels, which is confusing and preventing you from taking the right step.
Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to help you put an end to all your concerns.
This article will debunk all the myths to help you make informed decisions while moving forward to a more sustainable world.
Here’s a list to provide you with insight into what you’re going to get from this article.
- Myth #1 You need to own a house to use solar energy.
- Myth #2 Solar panels don’t work in a wide range of climates.
- Myth #3 Solar panels don’t increase the value of your house.
- Myth #4 Solar energy is too costly for the houseowner.
- Myth #5 Solar energy doesn’t work in rain or snow.
- Myth #6 Solar power means large batteries and unreliable power.
#1 “You Need to Own a House to Use Solar Energy”
Do you live in an apartment, a condo, or a rented house, and are worried if you’re eligible to install a solar plant?
Rest assured you can use solar energy to power your life regardless!
Great news, right?
In recent times, community solar programs are gaining more popularity according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. It allows groups of people to share solar power generated from a single solar array.
Contributors to these programs can buy or lease a portion of the solar array.
Did you know that if the solar panel is brand new, you can share the cost of construction between the contributors?
Here’s another great option – ‘purchasing kilowatt-hour blocks of solar energy generated by an array’.
This benefit allows you to cut back on your electricity bills and use sustainable power.
#2 “Solar Panels Do Not Work in a Range of Climates”:
One of the benefits of solar panels is that temperature doesn’t have a significant impact on the amount of energy they capture.
Even in the bone-chilling winter, it can capture enough energy to power an average house.
Solar panels need only one thing to generate energy – SUNSHINE!
As long as there is sunshine, solar panels can turn energy into electricity regardless of weather conditions.
#3 “Solar Panels Do Not Increase the Value of Your House”:
We know that common home renovation like a new kitchen setup or well-finished basement boost home valuation.
Did you also know that potential buyers view solar panels as a valuable upgrade to the house?
Solar systems do not only increase the value of a home, but they also increase the speed with which a home is sold.
Research by Zillow.com shows that homes with energy-efficient features and PV sold faster than homes that consumed more energy.
Let’s say you have installed an average-sized solar panel on the roof of your house, and after spending 3-4 years in that home, you now want to sell it.
The catch here is, your solar panel can add about an extra $15,000 to your house value.
Isn’t that lucrative?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says – The value of a home can increase by $20,000 for every $1,000 saved annually in electricity cost.
#4 “Solar Energy is Too Costly for The Homeowner”:
If we look at the facts, the cost of adopting solar power has dropped every year since 2009.
In fact, choosing the right company to install solar panels on your beautiful house can reduce a ton of unnecessary expenses and high prices.
Enlightened Solar was founded with the goal to help homeowners get the best value at the lowest possible price.
All the designs are done by experts who have decades of experience.
Here you get a ten-year installation warranty and a 25-year energy production warranty as well.
#5 “Solar Energy Doesn’t Work in Rain or Snow”:
Rain itself indeed has no impact on the panels, but the rain clouds are likely to lower the production.
In fact, an occasional rain-storm can be good for your solar system’s production. It’s also a safe way to clean your panels.
Scientists have been working to innovate a new kind of solar panel that will collect solar energy even if it’s raining.
But what about snowfall?
Unlike rain, which doesn’t accumulate on the panels and block light, snow will have an impact on production beyond cloud coverage.
After all, anything that blocks the sun from reaching your panels stops them from producing electricity. However, depending on the weather following the snowstorm and the angle of your panels, even heavy snowfalls will melt and slide right off in no time.
Even though solar energy is dependent on the sun, it is still an excellent option for many homes, businesses, and farms in the country’s cloudy, rainy, or snowy areas.
#6 “Solar Panels Mean Large Batteries and Unreliable Power”:
This is not necessarily true unless you want to be energy independent.
If you want to be independent of your utility, you will need a battery storage system or other forms of storage for nighttime use.
Photovoltaic systems without storage capacity produce ready-to-use electricity immediately.
Solar energy is mainly generated in the morning when the power demand of most households is low, the power demand significantly increases in the evening.
With a battery system, the extra power that is produced during the day can be stored and used for later.
However, it is not required for rooftop solar panel installation.
Here’s how solar panels can benefit you in numerous ways.
- Solar energy can permanently reduce your electricity bills.
This can save you significant amounts of money every year. - It allows you to personally contribute to a sustainable future.
While helping you to take a stance to make planet Earth safer. - You can be independent of large energy suppliers, leaving you with no worries about electricity.
There’s not just myths but many benefits that come with investing in solar systems.
#1 You Can Become Energy Self-Sufficient:
The idea of being energy self-sufficient has gained a lot of popularity in recent times.
To put it simply, energy self-sufficient means: Someone who can produce and consume electricity from their solar panels.
It also means you don’t have to worry about surging electricity bills.
Let’s have a look at some advantages you can reap from being energy sufficient.
- Less stress with consistently affordable energy bills:One of the most significant benefits you can get is monetary savings. Solar panels can provide households with the ability to save about 90% on their electricity bills.
- Protection from discontinuation of power due to blackouts:Unprecedented natural disasters can cause power-cuts. Energy self-sufficiency achieved through solar panels and a battery means that you aren’t relying on these powerlines as much or the ageing infrastructure it’s linked to.
- The dual benefit of earning money:When you have a solar panel, you not only reduce electricity bills but also get paid for the power you provide. This has the dual benefit of helping reduce the cost of electricity for others on the grid and bringing you extra savings on your bill.
#2 Solar Energy is a Globally Accepted Renewable Energy Solution:
More than 486GW of installed capacity makes solar the third biggest renewable power source globally, with photovoltaic (PV) technology being dominant.
The use of concentrating solar power (CSP) technology is also on the rise, with global CSP installed capacity reaching 5.5GW by the end of 2018.
Solar power is an excellent alternative energy source.
Here’s why we say this…
- It’s a free source of energy. A renewable energy resource like the sun is also sustainable and inexhaustible.
- It causes less electricity loss.
- It allows you to take your house off the grid.
- It is environmentally friendly.
#3 Solar energy is clean, green, and ensures the sustainability of our planet:
Most people want to save the planet, which means most of us want to use renewable energy like solar power.
With an average annual growth rate of 50%, solar energy is experiencing a major surge in popularity in green circles.
Why? The answer is threefold:
- The price of solar panels has dropped over the past decade.
- The solar industry’s economic power.
- Solar power’s squeaky-clean reputation as a reliable renewable energy source.
With that being said, it’s not uncommon to hear people claim that solar power isn’t entirely eco-friendly as per the claims.
We know solar energy isn’t perfect.
But comparatively, solar power is more sustainable than fossil-fuel energy.
Solar panels don’t use any water to generate electricity and don’t release any harmful gases into the environment.
Thus, it is known as one of the cleanest forms of energy.
#4 Using Energy Can Reduce the Carbon Footprint:
Electricity produced from solar power yields no emissions, no greenhouse
gases, and no fossil fuels, but it does require a certain amount of energy to
manufacture the solar panels.
Luckily, the energy they produce far exceeds what it takes to manufacture
them.
Solar energy systems are also great for homeowners wanting to reduce their
carbon footprint.
The average American household produces 14,920 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year, assuming an average monthly energy consumption of 957 kilowatt-hours.
For those living in detached single-family homes, this figure is significantly higher.
The good news is that you can drastically reduce your home’s impact on the environment with a residential solar energy system. Solar energy is “green,” partly because of its ability to generate power while emitting zero emissions.
By taking the solar route, you can reduce the demand for fossil fuels, limit greenhouse gas emissions, and shrink your carbon footprint.
#5 Receive Generous Federal Government Rebates:
According to usa.gov – Energy-related tax incentives can make home and business energy improvements more affordable.
There are credits for buying energy-efficient appliances and for making energy-saving improvements.
The US government is taking a stance and encouraging people to move toward more sustainable and renewable energy.
They include a tax credit for:
- Energy-efficient homes.
- Energy-efficient commercial buildings.
- Nonbusiness energy properties.
- Qualifying fuel-cell vehicles.
- Alternative fuel vehicle refuelling properties.
#5 Receive Generous Federal Government Rebates:
U.S. households have experienced a steady increase in both the frequency and duration of power outages over the last 15 years, according to research by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Most homeowners get anxious when they get their electricity bills because they have no control over it.
Meanwhile, the cost of solar panels has reduced by more than 50%.
Opting for solar power puts you in a position where you have control over your electricity generation.
The U.S. government is emphasizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and lowering its impact on nature.
Therefore, this is the right time to start your solar power journy and become energy independent.
Many homeowners experience problems with solar panel installation.
Unfortunately, a bad installation of solar panels is a significant problem faced by many customers.
Consequently, many homeowners, as well as business owners, often invest money in repairs. Therefore, the reputations of installation teams suffer, and the solar products community as a whole comes across as unreliable.
Installing a solar energy system in your home is a substantial investment that warrants protection.
The maintenance cost for equipment warranty claims should be covered by state-level mandates on contractors to guarantee the system’s installation aspects for a minimum duration.
But solar installers have a high turnover rate in the solar industry, which causes risk and expense for repairs should the installation contractor be out of business.
Enlightened Solar understands these risks.
Our Enlightened Assurance Plan is included in every solar system contract we facilitate.
A dedicated portion of the contract cost is allocated to a FUNDED warranty account to ensure that every potential piece of equipment, labor, and long-term maintenance risk is protected with real funds to fix the problem.
So, what can you take away from this article?
Solar energy can reduce the financial pressure of rising electricity bills, and save you extra cash to put in your bank.
Whether you live in your own house or rent an apartment, you can still leverage the benefits of using solar energy.
Installing a solar panel doesn’t affect the valuation of your house. Instead, it increases the value of your property.
Choosing the right company for your solar system can be cost-efficient and get you better services.
Climate change has increased exponentially within a few decades. If we move towards more sustainable and renewable energy, we can reduce the carbon footprint. Because we all want a safe planet to live on.
Solar energy not only makes us power self-sufficient but also cuts back wastage in different ways.
Sustainable energy like solar power is safer for the planet and all living beings.