There have been a lot of changes happening in the industries surrounding energy over the past two decades. But the changes that have been happening on a home-by-home level are almost just as interesting.
Solar power has become increasingly popular with consumers over the past two decades, with the rate of panel installations increasing across the country. What might explain this change?
It’s not just that people are becoming more environmentally conscious, it also happens to be there are many benefits of solar panels. Homeowners are learning about these benefits and have decided to take advantage.
If you don’t know much about solar panels, what might you want to know? Read on and we’ll walk you through the many advantages of solar energy for your home.
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Lower Your Bills
The number one reason that many homeowners decide to install solar panels on their homes is that they can actually help to save money. Yes, the installation costs will take some money out of your budget upfront.
But as the years pass, the installation of a solar panel system in your home can help to cut costs in a major way. How? They do it by taking the sting out of your monthly energy bill.
If you’ve started to grow tired of staring at a huge utility bill at the close of each month, it might be time to start considering a switch to solar. The energy that your system harvests from the sun is free of charge.
That means outside of the initial setup of your system and the minimal upkeep, you’ll be getting a great deal of energy for free. Even if you don’t have enough panels to generate all the energy you need to run your home, it will cut a huge portion of your spending out each month.
These savings can add up to quite a total over the length of time in your home.
In addition, if your solar system ends up creating more energy than you need, this energy can be sent back to the central grid of your utility company. This excess energy is credited towards your account and subtracted from your bills.
The amount homeowners will save over the lifetime of their system will vary depending on a number of factors. However, it is not unusual for homeowners to save in the tens of thousands of dollars as the years go by.
Solar panel companies in your area can work with you to estimate just how much you might save by making the switch at your location.
Adds Value to Your Home
Any and all solar power systems will last with limited maintenance for somewhere between twenty-five and thirty years. That’s quite a long time! It’s so long, in fact, that it might surpass the time you end up spending in your current home.
That’s why another advantage of solar panel installation is to increase the value of your home. When it comes time to move on and sell your home to a new owner, you can get a better price thanks to the system you’ll have installed.
The amount of savings you can offer to prospective buyers thanks to your system will be immense. That means you can walk away with a higher asking cost for your home.
The only thing that deters some homeowners from switching energy sources is the hassle of solar panel installation. If you can take this part of the process off the shoulders of your new homeowners, they might be willing to pay even more for the home.
Receive Tax Incentives
If you act quickly, you may be even to save even more money by making the switch to solar. This is because the federal government has an incentive program in place for those making the switch to this cleaner form of energy.
The federal solar tax credit allows those who install a new system in their home to deduct a good portion of the cost from that year’s taxes. This is a great way to cut down on the hassle and costs associated with tax time.
In addition to the federal tax incentive, there may be state and local tax incentives that exist in your area. It’s important to do your research prior to installation so you can ensure you’re taking advantage of all the ways to save.
If you’re uncertain about where to look, local installation companies can likely point you in the proper direction.
Helps the Environment
One of the reasons to make the switch to solar is also to contribute to a better future for the planet.
Solar power systems produce energy that is renewable and non-damaging to the environment. They provide many advantages over traditional forms of electricity, which are often produced using fossil fuels.
If you want to cut your carbon footprint and help to stop releasing harmful gases into the Earth’s atmosphere, switching to solar is just about the most helpful thing you can do.
Our continuing shift to solar will mean less pollution and a brighter future for your children and your children’s children. It will also mean conserving the limited supplies of coal and natural gas that exist on the planet.
The Many Benefits of Solar Panels
If you’re thinking about making the switch to renewable energy for your home, it’s important to get familiar with the many benefits of solar panels. As the above reasons illustrate, there are more reasons than global warming to make the switch to this exciting new form of energy.
Need more advice for the home? Keep scrolling our blog for more helpful information.