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If you are one of the many people who have recently become more aware of how expensive energy costs are becoming, home solar panel installation may be something to look into. It is an unobtrusive and environmentally friendly way to save some money on the power bill and help move into the future. The process is fairly quick and easy to, and will be outlined in the following steps.

Before you begin getting supplies, you will want to ask yourself whether your panels will be lying flat on the roof or angled toward the light for maximum effect. This will affect how you install the rails, because the guide supplied here is mainly for those making panels that are set flat on the roof. If this is the case it should be known that it is easier to put the panels in place.

First off you will want to get the screws and mounts to attach to the roof to make sure it is safe, because safety should always be number one priority. Once you have your supplies, which can be found online or at any hardware store, find the rafters in your roof using a stud finder and drill holes. You can use a laser or chalk line to make sure they are all in a straight line. Place the mounts over the holes. In here will go the rails the panels sit on. Once the rails are in place it would be smart to hot mop them to make sure they are mounted securely. Steel bolts will secure the rails to the posts you secure. Now the hard part is done!

The panels themselves must be installed flat and in a straight line. Once they are set you can connect them into an array. Finally you must run the conduit so it connects to the inverter on top of the roof. Congratulations, your solar panel energy system is now installed and along with the free energy bill you will enjoy a tax break from the federal government for converting to the more environmentally friendly alternative.

If you are still feeling hesitant, you should know that installing the panels yourself is a simple and safe process that will pay for itself after only four years which is a short time for such a benefit. It will also increase the value of your home and make it far more desirable. Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what home solar panel installation entails if you choose to try it yourself, because it is very possible.

Are you looking for ways to increase your home value? Well, I have an idea that will not only make the resale cost of your home increase, but it will actually save you money. I am talking about solar energy. Let me explain…

Solar energy is an energy-efficient way to run your home. To summarize the idea, pretty much rays from the sun are converted into electricity. In turn, we can save our nonrenewable resources.

If you turn your house into a green home you are increasing the value of your home to buyers. This means that the future homeowners will not have the energy bill they are used to because, well, the sun is free. On top of the monthly savings, they will get a tax break for going green. That’s a pretty nice incentive for buyers when they house next door has a $400 energy bill.

Do not worry about the installation costs of solar panels for you home. The cost is completely paid for within four years of use. The amount of money you save using this form of energy is definitely something to look forward to.

Solar panels can be used all over your home to help enhance its value. You can use them for heating water, your pool, turn on lights, heat your home, bake cookies, and more. There are endless options for turning your home green.

If you are anxious to bring the value of your property up, consider switching to solar energy. Not only will it increase the value of your home, but your will save money on energy bills every month.

I have never been a sucker for do it yourself projects, but this one has especially caught my eye. For those of you that are educated on solar energy, I am talking about solar energy kits. For everyone else, I am about to share with you about DIY solar heating.

This activity can be done with the whole family. There are easy guidelines and directions to follow with every kit so anyone can put one together. A great thing about this project (solar kit) is that you are having a learning experience as you discover new and useful ways to conserve energy.

Before installing your own energy heating kit, you will need to get permits to do so. Each solar kit is equipped with the specifics of what you will need to get your permit. By contacting the permit department in your area you should be able to find someone that practices this field of interest.

After you are set to go with permits, everything thing you need comes right with the kit. Standard tools are required for assembly, but if you like projects I am sure having tools around won’t be a problem. If you get stuck in any way, there are tons of videos on the internet and well laid out instructions. It should go smoothly though. I completed one on my own.

A DIY solar heating kit is like a gift that keeps on giving. You conserve energy, heat your home, and save money. If this project has caught your eye the same way it did mine, then you too can experiences the fun and benefits of solar heating.

Are you concerned about your high energy bills? What about the environment, are you worried about its resources that are nonrenewable? Solar energy is the solution for you. Let us discuss the costs of solar energy and how practical it is for YOUR budget.

The first thing you should know is that the size of your house has nothing to do with the cost of your solar panels. So for those fortunate enough to live in a gigantic house, solar panels are not here to overwhelm you with fees. What you do need to take into consideration are things like how much sun you get a day, where you live, and how much energy you use a day. Once you can come to those conclusions, we can start the math.

Let us do an example together to figure out a ballpark cost for solar panels. Take a peak at your energy bill as it is now and locate how many KWH you used. We will say that number you found was 800 KWH. Now we are going to divide 800 by 30 and we get a whopping 26.7. Remember that number. It is how much estimated KWH you use a day. If you find that you are exposed to six hours of sunlight a day you would then take the 26.7 and divide it by 6. You answer should be 4.45 (or 4,450 watts). If you multiply that answer times 1.15 you have successfully found out how many solar panel watts you need.

The installation costs then are related to the number you found above. Each watt typically costs $7-$9. All your installation costs should be included with that estimated ending price.

Now that you know how much your system will cost, you will be relieved to know that it literally pays for itself within six years. There are also tax exemptions for those that choose to use solar energy. It is an investment that is worth anyone’s time and money.

Unless you are a part of the going green campaign, you may not be aware of the advantages of solar energy. By taking your energy source to this new and healthy style, you are making a decision you will never regret. Let me share with you some great features you too could be in on when going solar.

First and foremost when changing your energy source you are saving the environment. There cannot be a better side effect than that! You are converting from using our earth’s nonrenewable resources to using the sun as your primary source. An interesting fact I found on the sun is that it actually provides us more energy in a single day than we use all year. Doesn’t that make you wonder why we haven’t been using solar energy all along?

Not only are you working alongside with the environment, but you are saving yourself some money as well. A solar panel grid starts to die down after ten years of use. I know I know that is not exactly something you want to hear. Until I tell you that it pays for itself with all the money you are saving in just six years! That leaves you with at least four years of money that you would have normally spent on an electric bill. We can all relate to high energy bills and I know we could all use a break these days.

I think it is time we all started taking advantage of solar energy. With all of the benefits we get back from using it, what have we got to lose?

Why haven’t there been commercials for solar-panel creation during the nightly news, especially considering we’re facing the biggest energy crisis we have ever seen. Does that make sense to you? Also consider that a large chunk of the commercials that you DO see are for automobiles…that run on GAS (oil). There are rumors of car companies threatening to pull their sponsorship from big-name television companies due to conflicting advertisements, and I believe this to be true.

Anyway. Enough of that for now.

Build these things with your kids at home, and teach them the value of clean energy. But beware, for there are certainly scams out there that promise to deliver the right supplies to you, but they don’t.

I’d like to be able to tell you what supplies you need, but I’m sorry: I can’t. I only know that it CAN be done, and time is wasting. There are reputable companies out there, and those are the ones to order from. Unfortunately, making a few trips to your local hardware store just isn’t going to get the job done.

I’d like to tell you that complete solar-panel vehicles are right around the corner. I mean, “The Year 2000” has come and gone, hasn’t it Conan? Where ARE they? Well, they’re not here yet, and they’re not coming anytime soon. Believe it.

But this article is not ALL doom and gloom, so have no fear! They ARE coming…in this author’s opinion, however, I don’t believe anyone will be able to purchase a completely solar-panel powered car in anyone’s lifetime who is living right now.

Having said that, steps are being made by a couple different car companies. In certain new cars, they are implementing partially solar-powered roofs that can keep your car cool while turned off on hot days. Hey, it’s a step, right?

Consider that it’s probably very difficult for some researchers to get funding for this sort of thing. Let’s assume that it’s not difficult for now, though: imagine what car companies may be going through during research and development. Do you honestly think that Big Oil is thrilled to have researchers looking for alternative energy resources for cars? Forget it, they’re not. Again, in my opinion, Big Oil wants to stop any production of clean energy in cars. Think about it: no GAS will be used on these cars. What then, happens to the cushy jobs of some of the executives? I can tell you: there will BE no jobs, because the oil industry will be hurting…unless, of course, they can find a way to team up with the makers of solar panels in a different way.

Here’s to hoping they finally start getting things right and make the cars we WANT.

Why should we worry about power and electricity? Why should we have the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) mentality? Well, the answer is simple: every major breakthrough in history has come from that sort of attitude, and every invention has begun this way.

Many of us have taken on the attitude of the government or big companies doing these things for us, and I don’t really know when that started…but it certainly hasn’t always been this way. WE used to be the government, and PEOPLE used to control the big companies. Our thought processes need a kick in the head, and we need to refresh.

Think of the advantages of doing it ourselves. If we could use our own solar panels and wind power in our own homes, no longer would we be so reliant on Big Electricity. If you don’t think that’s a big deal, go ahead and add up how much you’ve spent on power in the last year – it’s unbelievable, and the electric companies have so much power over our lives. And if you don’t believe THAT claim, go ahead and try not paying your electric bill. See what happens. Our entire lives shut down without power, and they wield it over us with little mercy.

I implore you readers to invest just a little time and money into being self-sufficient with energy. Maybe you won’t accomplish it in your lifetime, but if you only START, our children will be in a much better position to FINISH it and start controlling this aspect our their lives.

Not to mention it’s clean energy. Save the earth and all that.

O.K., so you’re finally at the point where you’re ready to start helping save our world’s energy crisis. It’s a great place to be, isn’t it? We can really help our children’s future, and it’s time. But there are numerous problems, with practicality being number one. The question we ask ourselves is “How?”

Well, hopefully, I can offer a little advice and insight to make this process a little easier.

First of all, solar panels are not cheap. At all. They’re extremely expensive, but thankfully, we know that in the long run we’re saving billions and billions of dollars—not to mention LIVES. Remember that there isn’t only ONE company making solar panels, and there are different kinds and levels of quality within solar panels. If you’re doing internet searches, do crasoss searches and see if the company is reliable. Find out how long they’ve been in business. Write them an e-mail or call them and ask for examples of their work; if they give you clients that are local, drive by and check out their installation. Granted, it’s a fine line on that one…you want the best, but you also don’t want to bother the client. In my opinion, it’s worth the risk. Those of us who are trying to save the world’s energy problems are a special kind of group, and are typically thrilled when they get a chance to talk about what they’ve contributed, especially to like-minded people.

Once you’ve picked out the right company for the job, learn all you can about the installation so in the future if there’s a problem, you can do it yourself. Remember, the cost of all this can really hurt your pockets, and every dollar counts.

And don’t stop at one panel! Keep up the good work, and help prepare your family for a complete conversion in the future.

Solar panels are just the way to go, and I don’t think there’s really any argument anymore, is there? But there are problems: One problem is that the government just doesn’t seem to be as committed to converting as much as some of us are. The other problem, on a personal level, is that they are so expensive that it can seem incredibly overwhelming to the common person. So what do we do? The answer is simple…sort of.

We need to start thinking long term on this issue, instead of trying to convert all at once. Even if I can’t convert my entire energy source to solar panels in my lifetime, if I start now, by the time my daughter is old enough to take over my home, she’ll be in a much better position to continue the process.

Start a fund, and dedicate it completely to solar panels. Even if it’s just a little bit, save it. Let it build up interest, and see how much you can save. As soon as you have enough saved for ONE, get it. Install it. Think about how much closer you would be to completely converting your home to solar energy once you have one.

You can be the only home in your neighborhood with a solar panel, and not only will you start saving money immediately, you’ll have so much to talk about with your neighbors. And just think: you might start a trend toward saving the world’s energy crisis.

Remember back in the mid-80s when seeing a solar panel was “a thing of the future”? Well…what happened?? It’s STILL like that, and it’s very rare that you see them attached to homes. Sure, occasionally you see one or two homes that have a couple of them installed, and we’ve all seen them pasted onto stop signs, but that’s it.

For some reason, the hype surrounding the solar panel has died out; and I think I know why. In my opinion, I don’t believe that the government actually WANTS clean energy. There are far too many lobbyists in the electrical, oil, and automobile industries to tackle something wonderful like renewable energy. It would cost billions and billions of dollars to really restart the energy crises that we have, and nobody is going to fund it at this time; there’s too much money to be lost, and too many of the rich would be risking their fortunes.

The solution? Write your Congressmen, boycott certain automobile companies, and conserve electricity. The more we do things like that, the more the giants will see that we are serious about starting a major revolution for clean energy. But it’s going to take a huge effort on our parts, and we have to take it seriously. A few hundred people here and there making a stand isn’t going to cut it. We need to band together and make it a fight we believe in. Join message boards, pass our fliers, attend rallies, etc. And watch your vote! We can do this.

How to Make Solar Panels

Search Google for the above phrase and you’ll get roughly 16 million results. That’s right: 16 MILLION. So there are answers out there, yet the majority of us are still shelling out hundreds and hundreds of dollars a month to pay the big electric companies to heat our homes for us. Something’s not right here, and I kind of feel like ranting about it.

Remember when we were kids and solar panels were “the coolest thing”? I do. But what happened? Why aren’t we using them for our main source of energy? Are they too expensive? (While we’re at it, where are the jet packs??)

Well, I have a plan – a five-year goal. By 2014, I plan to get at least half of the energy in my home from solar panels. Seems like a modest plan. I’ll either buy them or buy the parts and make my own. People are already doing this, you know. My guess is that we’re not hearing about it very much because solar panels represent a major threat to the electric companies, in the same way that electric cars represent a huge problem for the oil industry. But guess what? I don’t CARE. There was life before Big Oil and Big Electric, and there will most likely be life after them.

Maybe we can all make a similar, realistic goal to find sources of clean, renewable energy in the next ten years. I just think we need to do this on our own rather than wait for the government to do it for us. Who’s with me?