11.4.11

Choosing a Solar Energy System For Your Home

An increasing number of people nowadays prefer to integrate solar energy into their lifestyle. However, there are a few matters to consider if you would like to set up a solar power system in your house.

Not just any solar power system will suffice. It needs to correspond to your energy requirements and the location of your property. Here are some tips to get you started:
First, check if your house location is conducive to solar energy. Your property area must be facing a southward direction - ideally, it should directly face south, but a somewhat southwest direction will also work. It requires receiving sunlight between 9AM and 3PM. Be sure to observe this area all year round, because sunlight direction shifts from season to season.
Remember, also, that you may mount solar panels on tall rods and trees, not just on your roof. Thus if an area of your property is shadowed during the prime part of the day, look up to check if it might be sunnier on a higher area.
Next, contact your utility company and determine your average monthly usage of kilowatt hours. Then you will be able to find out how many KW hours your solar power system needs to generate. (You could choose to have only one-half of your KW hours substituted by solar.)