With their glossy, flat-panel surfaces shining in the sun, solar panels are easy to spot on the roofs of Sacramento homes and businesses. As energy prices go up and the cost of solar panels comes down, more people than ever are buying solar arrays for their homes not just in California, but in the rest of the country as well. By now you may be wondering, “is solar energy right for me and my family?”
We believe it is. And in this article we’d like to share with you three reasons why you should have solar on your Sacramento home.
Reason #1: You’ll save money on utility costs.
One of the main reasons folks consider switching to solar is to lower their monthly utility bill. And while there’s no question that solar energy will save you money on utility costs, just how much it will save you depends on factors such as energy usage, system efficiency and local climate conditions.
To start with, a report published in 2012 by the website Clean Technica utilizing analytics powered by Clean Power Research estimated that California homeowners who switched to a solar system for partial electricity generation would save an average of $143 per month in utility costs. That’s awesome, but it gets even better.
This same report notes that thanks to California’s state rebates as well as Federal incentives, homeowners in the Golden State can have their residential solar system paid off in as little as 9 years. Combine that with an estimated $34,260 in saved utility costs over 20 years of operation and a picture of how much money solar can save Sacramento residents becomes a lot clearer.
Reason #2: It will prolong the swimming season.
Compared with an electric heat pump or gas-powered pool heater, a solar pool heating system makes a lot of financial sense. Whereas the former can costs thousands of dollars a year in utility costs to operate, a solar pool heating system is relatively affordable to buy, easy to install, and can pay for itself in about 3 years. But the good news doesn’t stop there.
Because solar energy is free you can keep your pool warmer far longer than would be economically viable with a conventional fuel heating system. With a solar pool heating system you can double your swimming season without flushing half your budget down the drain in utility costs!
Keep in mind that a solar pool heating system is different from the solar electric system to power your home.
Reason #3: Mother Nature appreciates it.
Switching to solar for some or most of your home’s energy needs greatly reduces your dependence on harmful energy sources like fossil fuels and coal. The EPA estimates that the average household generates roughly 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Yuck. On the other hand, homes that generate their electricity via solar panels produce zero carbon dioxide emissions. Switching to solar can make a dramatic difference in your home’s carbon footprint, something Mother Nature certainly appreciates.
These three reasons barely scratch the surface of why you should have solar on your Sacramento home, but they give you an idea of why solar panels already dot the roofs of hundreds of houses in the area. If you’re ready to learn more about what energy-efficient, cost-effective solar power can do for your home, contact Aztec Solar to request a FREE home energy audit and no obligation proposal.