Solar energy is in the news almost daily. But have you ever wondered whether or not installing solar panel roof array on your residence would be a good option for your family? Here are a few of the most convincing reasons.

1. The Economic Conditions
The country economic climate is finally encouraging again for people who want to use solar power at home. There are now federal tax credits in place (or soon to be in place) that can reduce the price of installing a residential solar roof array by as much as 30%. And don’t forget to check into your state and city tax incentives, too. The list of cities and states that are offering tax rebates and other incentives to assist folks to convert to solar power is continuing to grow.

2. Your Bank Account
There is also the direct cost savings you will see in reducing your monthly power bill. Since you solar photovoltaic panels will be powering your appliances during the day, you will be seeing a savings in electricity usage. And if your local electric company participates in net metering, your electric bill could be decreased to zero. Net metering allows you to sell back any excess energy that your solar panel system generates to the electric company for a credit to your account. So if your solar electric system produces a leftover during the day, the power that you use from the grid at night could end up being at no cost.

3. The Environment
Solar power is also excellent for the environment. It is created on site where it is used. So there are no petroleum haulage costs or emissions, and no plant maintenance costs. It does not contribute to global pollution and warming. There is no greenhouse gases from burning oil or coal, and it does not create nuclear waste that will contaminate the planet for generations to come. And last but not least, it is a great method to safeguard yourself and your family against the future electricity price hikes that experts predict will happen.

If you are thinking about adding a solar electricity system to your house, the costs and the savings are large issues. First, there is the initial expense of purchasing and installing the solar panels array. But there are also a lot of methods that you will be saving money, not only with your immediate energy savings, but savings against rising energy costs and the increase in your home’s value as well.

Since there so many factors go into installing a solar electricity array, each house needs to be considered on a situation by situation basis. The pitch of the roof, the direction it faces, the position of shade trees or buildings that might block sun from reaching the panels must all be evaluated. And an exact valuation is very vital for each solar electricity system to function at maximum solar efficiency. Professional solar roof panel installers can give exact quotes for the supplies and installation for your individual site.

Your immediate solar panel energy savings will depend on whether or not your local electric company participates in net metering. Net metering refers to the policy which some electric power companies have of purchasing back excess power that is produced by customers who have solar array installations. If your local electric company offers this, you will see a considerable reduction in your power bills. Some consumers actually have a zero balance each month as their solar panel system generates enough electricity for their own use as well as surplus to send back into the power grid. But even if you power utility does not allow net metering, your power bills will still be reduced. During the day when the sun is hitting your roof solar arrays, your appliances will be running off your own solar energy rather than electricity from the grid.

And there is also the likelihood that solar electric systems will become valuable assets to homes in the near future. As electricity costs continue to climb, awareness of the value of alternate power systems is on the rise. If you have a history of power savings that you can show to a potential purchaser, it can be a strong incentive for them to choose your house over one that has higher energy operating costs. And since electricity prices are predicted to be higher in the future, your solar power panel system represents a real hedge against inflation. A solar electric system also means that your home won’t be affected by brown outs and electricity outages that can occur due to bad weather or simply due to grid overload.

If you reside an area that has weather extremes, you may be wondering if solar cells are reasonable for your residence. After all, tornados, snow and ice storms, hail and hurricanes take their toll on regular roofs each year. Would it really make sense to install solar cells on a roof that has to withstand those kinds of weather extremes? Here a few specifics that will help you decide.

1. It makes sense to be worried about hail or wind damage to the glass that encapsulates the solar cells and allows them to have exposure to the sun. But the answer is to make sure that the solar power panels you use are made with high shock tempered glass. High quality solar panels are made with glass that can uphold its integrity during 60 miles per hour storms dropping 3/4″ hail. So they will usually resist conditions that are similar to what your roofing material will tolerate.

2. Before your home solar power cells are installed, your contractor must make sure that the roof itself is able to carry the load of the solar panel roof arrays. As soon as that is established and the solar panels are attached to the roof, they should be able to remain solidly in place. In the case of a tornado or hurricane, your solar cells will typically stay attached to your roof. The only way you can lose them is if the roof itself comes off.

3. In areas where there is large snowfall, snow may cover the solar panels and block them from receiving direct sunlight. In that case, they cannot generate energy and it will be essential to brush off the snow. But the panels themselves will not be damaged by a heavy snowfall.

4. The bigger worry would be that the roof itself may not be capable to hold out the weight of a heavy, wet snowfall. In that case, it would be smart to shovel the roof as well as eliminate the snow from the solar panels. But in the case of a small amount of snow, the warmth retained by the solar panels is typically enough to melt off the snow and keep the panels clean.

5. As a last point, verify with your homeowner’s insurance policy. Solar cells are usually incorporated in the coverage at no additional cost. If not, consider altering to a policy that will provide sufficient coverage.

If you are thinking about installing a residential solar electricity system in your house, you will need to know your current energy usage. Usually, you can get this information from your local utility company. Using these facts as a basis, you will be able to plan your solar panel system to fit the needs of your home. The climate in your region will have an impact on electricity use, as will the direction your windows face, the amount and location of trees on your site, and the types of appliances you own. Even the kind of light bulbs you use can make a difference.

The annual temperature extremes in the geographical district you live in will be a big factor. If you live in an area with temperature extremes in winter or in summer, you will use more power to warm or cool your home than if you lived in a reasonable climate.
South facing windows in a cold climate can help decrease your heating bills. North facing windows in a hot climate can reduce cooling bills.

Older trees can provide shade and help lower cooling bills during the summer, while the exposed tree limbs allow sunlight in during the winter months. All of these factors contribute to your overall power usage. And installing energy efficient insulation in walls, roofs and floors help decrease utility bills in all climates.

If possible, convert all of your appliances to energy efficient models. Newer appliance models often use as much as 50% less power than older models, especially if they need repairs and are not working at peak efficiency. Changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs also makes a significant impact on dropping energy consumption.

After evaluating your home for these factors, you can plan to construct a solar cell system by multiplying your typical daily kilowatt hour usage by about 0.25. This should give you a approximate guess of the daily kilowatts your solar cells will need to generate in order to supply your current electrical needs.