Solar Power Home - Before You Buy a Photovoltaic Solar System

Thinking of making the switch to clean and green?a photovoltaic array (solar panels) take advantage
Don't go shopping for your solar array beforeof the free stuff. Incorporate as many passive
you've looked at some strategies for keeping thesolar strategies as your situation allows. It's as
cost down.simple as letting the sun in where and when you
If you've done any research at all you alreadywant it and keeping it out where you don't along
know that the cost factor is what's preventing awith making use of shade trees and natural
large scale solar powered system from adorningbreezeways available on your property. Here's
every roof. The good news is that newhow:
technologies have recently been perfected thatStaying Cool with Passive Solar Strategies
will dramatically reduce the cost of a solar powerIf you're trying to keep a box of air cool in a hot
system.environment, it makes good sense to keep the
Also, there are easy and affordable changes youhot air out of the box by using insulation on the
can make right now that'll save you tons on yourwalls, floor and ceiling and plugging any holes that
conversion to solar energy while keeping thelet the hot air in. Adding window and door
planet a shade greener.openings to that box makes it a little trickier to
Reduce Your Usekeep the interior temperature stable. Here are
How much power do you use right now?Yoursome passive solar energy techniques to help you
monthly energy bill will report how many KWH orkeep your cool.
kilowatt hours your household used during that* Insulation... Lots of insulation
month. If you haven't done anything to reduce* Awnings keep the area immediately around
your use up to this point you should realistically bewindows and doors from heating up and prevent
able to cut your current amount of power use inoverhead sun from entering the house. Install
half.retractable roll up awnings if you want to let the
Here's how to painlessly reduce your use:light in during the winter.
1 - Insulate, insulate, insulate.* Covered Verandas provide deep shade on a
* Plug every escape route you can identify.sunny side of the house and along with making a
* Double up on the insulation in floors, walls andshady outdoor space they keep the sun from
attic.making the house overwarm.
* Ensure that no air is passing through dryer* Ceramic, stone or marble floors stay cool
vents, chimneys, attic doors, electrical outlets andunderfoot and can be covered with area rugs
around doors and windows. On a breezy day holdduring cooler seasons.
a match or lighter flame near any suspicious* Take advantage of the wind if you're building or
areas. If it flickers, air is moving in or out. Find therenovating. Situate openings so that seasonal
leaky spot and plug it.breezes can wend through the house.
* If it's time to replace the windows, seek out* Add shutters or insulated window coverings
the most energy efficient types available.especially over south and west (north and west in
2 - Hot water solutions.the southern hemisphere) facing windows.
* 120° F (48° C) or less is the ideal* Trees, trellises and potted plantings can be
temperature for your hot water heater forsituated in front of south and west facing
energy reduction and safety from scalding. Mostwindows to keep the sun out. Choose deciduous
families use their hot water in the morning andtrees if you want the sun to come in during
after supper yet the water is kept hot evenwinter months.
when no one is in the house or everyone is* Plant more trees. The shade and evaporation
asleep. Programmable water heaters only heatproduced by a single, mature, hardwood tree in a
water when you tell them to - saving hundreds ofday is equal to the effect of 10 window mounted
dollars per year on your hot water heating bill.air conditoners running for 20 hours. All that and it
* Wrap your hot water tank with an insulatingpurifies the air too.
blanket (made especially for this purpose).* Create a shady oasis on the cool side of the
* Better yet, install a solar hot water heater. Morehouse. Arrange trellises, potted shrubs and
about that below.plantings around a pergola and train hardy foliage
3 - Use a power bar.to grow up the trellises and over the pergola.
* Plug your TV, computer and stereo equipmentSurround a free standing awning with leafy
into a power bar which can easily be turned offplantings to establish a cool gathering place for
when the equipment isn't in use (at night andfamily and friends.
when you leave the house). When left plugged in* Add an outdoor cooking area and keep the
to a regular outlet these types of equipmentheat out.
continue to use small amounts of power while in* Skylights and windows that are slanted inward
stand-by mode even when they're turned off.make it very difficult to keep the sun out when
4 - Reduce heating and cooling costs.you want to. If you really love the idea of a
* Turn the air conditioner off or up and furnaceskylight and live in a hot climate, situate it in an
off or down when you leave the house and savearea where direct sun will not be allowed to enter.
scads of money every month.* High ceilings work well in hot climates by allowing
* Progammable heaters and air conditioners, likehot air to rise above the living space.
programmable water heaters, heat and cool yourWarming Up with Passive Solar Energy
household only when you need it.* Insulation, it can't be overstated. Insulation is the
* Heat and cool only the rooms you're using atkey to maintaining a desired indoor temperature.
the moment and close doors to the unused* Thermal Mass absorbs the heat of the sun and
rooms.radiates the heat into the home. Very dense
* Strategically placed ceiling and rotary fansmaterials such as ceramic tile, stone, brick and
reduce the need for air conditioning.concrete soak up the heat of the sun and
* Insulating draperies and shutters keep thecontinue to warm the interior space for hours
indoor temperature where you want it. Byafter the sun has set. In order to be effective
preventing the escape or intrusion of air you'llthe material should be at least 4 inches thick and
have more control over the temperature in yoursituated where direct sunlight strikes it. Floors,
living space. There's little point in cranking the airwindow seats or half walls constructed of thermal
conditioner up if the sun is blazing through theabsorbing materials situated close to south and
windows, conversely, you'll lose precious heatwest facing windows are some ways to catch
especially at night, through uncovered windowsthe sun's warmth and use it to heat your home.
when the weather is cold.Once you get the heat in, keep it in.
* A solar power attic fan expels trapped heat* Shutters or insulated window coverings help to
from the attic space reducing your home coolingkeep the cold out and heat in. Keep them open to
costs in the summer and prevents theallow the sun to stream through the windows and
accumulation of health threatening molds.heat your space during sunny times. When the
5 - Make Use of Small Appliances and Laptopssun isn't shining, close them to prevent the loss of
* Toaster ovens, electric kettles, electric fryheat and preserve the warmth in the house.
pans, slow cookers, etc. need much less energy* Windows and Doorways should be most
than the stovetop or oven.abundant on the south and west sides of the
* Laptop computers use way less energy thanhouse to allow lots of winter sun access to the
desktop models.house. Minimize windows and doors on the north
6 - Lighting Options.side to prevent the escape of your hard earned
* Incandescent bulbs convert most of theirheat.
energy to heat rather than light which makes* Trees and plantings. On south and west sides of
incandescent light inefficient and expensive. Switchthe house deciduous (leaves fall off in the winter)
to those curly fluorescent bulbs or LED lights fortrees and shrubs or annual vines (hops grow really
big savings (We really like the LED bulbs whichfast) shade windows during the hottest part of
stay cool, draw very little power and emit a cleanthe year but allow the winter sun to warm your
white light).interior space when the branches lose their leaves.
* Install dimmers on your light switches to getOn the windy side of your property a row of
lots of light when you need it and less light whenevergreen trees block winter winds and make it
you don't.easier to maintain heat in the house.
* Eat by candle light a couple of nights a week.* A mudroom or separate entry area gives you
* A scented candle in the bathroom providesmore control of your interior temperature by
enough light while keeping the air sweet.containing cold air when the door is opened to the
* Use solar powered motion lights around youroutside.
yard to light the way safely for family and guests* Pergolas and Arbours - Rather than deeply
and to discourage intruders.shaded porches, in a cool climate you'll want to
* LED string lights reduce electricity needs athave more control over the amount of sun
Christmas and look lovely year round.allowed to access your home. Train seasonal vines
7 - Laundry Strategies.over a pergola or arbour to provide shade during
* Front loading washers use less power, waterwarm seasons and sun, when the leaves fall off
and detergent than top loaders.during cool seasons.
* Look for the energy star when purchasing a* Roll Up awnings are a great way to shade
new washer to ensure that you're getting one ofwindows during hot seasons while allowing you to
the most energy efficient models on the market.let the sun's heat in during cold seasons.
* Wash and rinse your laundry in cold water* Low ceilings keep your hard won heat in the
(studies have proved that there is little benefit toliving area. It's much easier and less expensive to
using hot water for laundry) and wash full loadskeep a space with an 8 foot ceiling warm than it
only.is to keep a room with lofty 16 foot ceilings
* Use a solar powered clothes dryer (commonlyheated.
referred to as a clothesline). Not only will you* Skylights, if you can't live without them, should
save a bundle on energy costs but the sun willbe constructed of very well insulated glass to
bleach your whites while adding a delightfulprevent the loss of heat.
fragrance.Add a Solar Water Heater
* When you must use a dryer make use of theWhy start with a solar power hot water heater?
cool cycle as often as possible.Because water heating costs represent about one
* Appliances that make things hot or cold use thethird of your energy costs and a solar water
most household power. Focus on temperatureheater uses a low tech flat plate collector to heat
altering appliances for the most dramatic energythe water. That means that it's the cheapest way
savings. These include, refrigerator, electric oven,to get into the solar energy market. Add to that
central air conditioning, central heating, freezer,the fact that cost recovery time for solar water
washing machine,dryer, electric stovetop andheaters is 5 years or less and that gives you the
dishwasher. Dust or vacuum the coils on the backbiggest and greenest bang for your buck.
of your refrigerator every month or two. WhenThere are tons of things you can do that'll make
the time comes to replace these appliances,your home more efficient and prepare your
purchase the most energy efficient modelsspace to take best advantage of the free solar
available.energy that falls on your property every day. By
* Unplug the fridge and store perishables in athemselves these changes will save you
basement cold room or underground pit and add athousands on your energy bill but more than that
wood burning stove or use energy efficient spacethey'll dramatically reduce your setup costs when
heaters to further reduce your energy needs.you're ready to add a residential solar power
Passive Solar Principles - Use the Free Stuffsystem.
Passive solar applications can dramatically reduceWhen you add your solar array, start with what
the need for heating and air conditioning.you can afford and ensure that you can add to it
Before you spend tens of thousands of dollars onin the future.