| onmental concerns and the rising cost of | | | | any hardware or home improvement store. |
| electricity are making many people wonder how | | | | Yet, is it really possible to use the sun and solar |
| they can save money using solar power for the | | | | power for the home to replace high cost |
| home. Solar energy has long been touted as being | | | | electricity from the power company? The answer |
| a sound choice for the environment, but until | | | | is yes. A stand alone solar system will replace all |
| recently most of us balked at the high price tag | | | | electricity costs that you would otherwise pay to |
| attached to solar energy systems. Thanks to the | | | | the utility company. A solar system provides both |
| kits and instructions now available, solar power for | | | | AC and DC electricity which can be stored in |
| the home no longer requires a large up front | | | | special batteries that will be used when the sun is |
| investment. | | | | not shining. In areas that would otherwise be off |
| The cost of building your own system in order to | | | | the grid or where the cost of installing electric |
| create solar power for the home takes a little bit | | | | lines is prohibitive, the cost of a solar system for |
| of pre-planning in order to save both time and | | | | the home will realize instant savings. You can also |
| money as well as avoid some common | | | | supplement existing on grid electricity with solar |
| headaches. Before beginning your project, you will | | | | power for the home. By supplying up to 50% or |
| need to perform a home energy audit. If you | | | | more of your homes electricity through solar |
| have never done this before, you may be | | | | power dramatic savings can be realized. |
| surprised by the results. A home energy audit will | | | | Solar cells, or photovoltaic tiles, convert light from |
| assess how much energy your home consumes. | | | | the sun into solar power for the home. The solar |
| This will help you decide the proper size system | | | | cells work because they consist of both a positive |
| you will need to generate solar power for the | | | | and negative sheet of silicon that is under a thin |
| home. | | | | sheet of glass. When the sun shines on the solar |
| To perform an energy audit you can call a | | | | panel, the protons push the neutrons off the |
| professional auditor or do it yourself. You will need | | | | silicon sheet. This causes the negatively charged |
| to locate any air leaks around the home, analyze | | | | neutrons that are drawn to the silicon to get |
| which appliances you use most often and how | | | | trapped within the magnetic field that is formed |
| much energy they use, and understand how | | | | by the opposing charges in the silicon sheet. This |
| much lighting you use in your home. It is vital to | | | | causes an electric current to form, thus creating |
| understand your energy use if you are planning to | | | | solar power for the home. It will need to pass |
| solely use solar power for the home in order to | | | | through an inverter in order to be transformed |
| have the proper size system in place. | | | | into an alternating current which is what is used |
| Once you have decided on the size of your | | | | within most homes. |
| system, you can build your own panels to turn | | | | Solar power for the home is capable of being a |
| solar power for the home into a reality. It only | | | | primary energy source in most cases and a |
| takes a few skills that most of us already | | | | supplemental energy source for everyone. Making |
| possess or can quickly and easily learn to build a | | | | your own electricity using solar power is very |
| solar panel yourself. Other than the solar cell which | | | | cost effective if you make the system yourself |
| will convert the sun's light into energy, everything | | | | and understand the basics of what your home |
| else used in their construction can be found at | | | | requires from the outset. |