Solar seems to be the hot new trend these days, and there is no shortage of companies trying to enter the industry with a variety of products.
As a consumer, this is amazing, because the technology continues to see improvements on a near-daily basis!
If you are like most homeowners though, having too many options paired with too much information can leave you feeling a little overwhelmed, if not paralyzed.
So, if you are thinking about making the jump to solar, what exactly do you need? Let’s start with your goals.
Before making the switch to solar though, you should consider making your home as energy efficient as possible. A more efficient home means fewer panels, and ultimately less money to go solar. For tips on making your home a Net Zero home, check out our series on Energy Independence.
When it comes to your goals with solar, there are really 3 main categories: Would you just like to save money on your electric bill, be resistant to pesky power outages, or fully prepared for an end-of-the-world situation? The answer to this question should really drive what components you include in your new solar panel system.
Starting with the simplest of the 3, trying to save money on your electric bill! In the state of SC, you can practically get paid for switching to solar, and all you need are the panels themselves, no need to stress about batteries or generators.
Moving up the list, avoiding power outages!
There are a variety of reasons why you may want to avoid power outages, and for how long you would like to be able to endure a power outage. Avoiding power outages absolutely requires at a minimum, a battery backup unit. If you are just wanting to keep food from spoiling, a small battery powerful enough for the inverters & your refrigeration unit should be sufficient. However, if you are wanting to run any type of life support device, such as a breathing machine, a small generator would definitely help!
Want to be prepared for an apocalypse? Sure, we can do that as well!
Increase the quantity of batteries, and the size of the generator to fit your needs. In this situation, you would need the generator large enough to fully charge your batteries, and run the critical loads of your house, while leaving the batteries for simple appliances and powering your inverters. Provided you had enough fuel for the generator, this solution could quite literally keep you powered indefinitely.
Ready to see what a system for your home would cost? Get in touch with us today for a free, no-obligation, quote.
Carbon Recall York
803-306-NET0 (6380)
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