Installing solar energy can be a ray of sunshine when you are worried about your rising electricity and heating bills! Solar power systems are a cost efficient way of reducing your energy bills. With advancements in technology, solar products have become cheaper and more effective. Thus, your return on investment is sure to be higher than before. Solar power systems increase the value of your home and give you the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint.

Tips to Install Solar Energy Solutions
Here are some useful tips for optimum solar energy installation:

• When you install solar panels, ensure they are south facing. This ensures maximum sunlight through the year.

• The angle of the solar panels installation from horizontal should be calculated as the home’s latitude plus 15 degrees. For example Mobile, AL’s latitude is 30 degrees north plus 15 degrees; this equals an installation angle of 45 degrees from horizontal.

• The solar panel should be as close to the batteries as possible. This helps to reduce power loss in the cables.

• To calculate the number of solar panels you need, you should use winter sunshine hours instead of summer sunshine hours. Summer sunshine hours could be as high as twice the winter sunshine hours. Hence, if you make your calculations using summer hours, you could end up needing backup in winter.

• When installing residential solar panels, it is essential to hire the right contractor for the job. Before contacting a contractor or consultant, you should prepare a list of all your electrical appliances, their respective wattage and the hours you expect them to be in use.

• Before installing solar panels, you should increase the energy efficiency of your home. This can be done by installing double glazing, sealing the draft from doors and windows, replacing incandescent lights with fluorescent ones. These simple measures can significantly ease your worries about how much installing solar panels costs.

• Visit a solar home before you prepare to install solar panels. This will give you a good idea of how things work and what to expect.

Solar energy systems can generate as much as 2 kilowatts of electricity per hour. So, now you can light up your home or heat your swimming pool without feeling the heat of rising energy bills!