Solar Yard Garden

Is Solar Right for Your Home?

When people think of solar energy systems for their homes, they usually envision a rack of photovoltaic panels mounted on a rooftop. PV (photovoltaic) technology has become inexpensive enough in recent years for many people to consider investing in a solar electric system for their home, although there are a number of much smaller investments you can make to use solar power in and around your home.

You can use small solar yard lights to beautify your garden and yard and provide safe lighting at night. Garden and lawn solar lighting devices typically have a small photovoltaic cell mounted on top of a lamp, connected to a rechargeable battery inside the lamp which powers an LED light bulb. The light comes on when a light sensor detects that it is getting dark outside and flips the electronic "on" switch.

These outdoor solar lamps are available in many styles, from traditional lamp designs to innovative devices made to look like rocks or animals. Unfortunately, many solar yard lights are made with inexpensive plastic parts which degrade in sunlight and are easily broken. So, spend a few more dollars to get sturdy solar yard lights made from durable materials so that your investment pays for itself over time. Solar lamps with stainless steel or copper bodies will last many years longer than the cheaper plastic varieties.

Although the idea of using sunlight to generate electricity is exciting, many people overlook the possibilities for using solar thermal applications around their homes. You already use solar thermal energy in your home, even if you did not specifically plan to do so. On a sunny day, the energy your house absorbs from sunlight provides a significant part of your home's heating needs in the winter and causes a large part of the expense of cooling your home in the summer.

You will get the highest return on your solar investment if you concentrate on improving your use of solar thermal energy before you consider installing PV panels on your roof. The fastest return on your investment will come from insulating windows, walls, and your attic in order to retain heat in the winter and keep heat out in the summer. You should also keep south facing windows uncovered on sunny winter days, but provide shading for south facing windows in the summer.

Once you have your house well insulated and have started using your windows to your best advantage, you can consider installing a solar thermal water heater or even a whole house thermal heating system. The capital investment for these systems is much less than for solar electric systems, and the payback in terms of reduced utility bills will be much faster.

Using solar energy in various forms around your home is definitely a good idea. You can learn a lot about solar projects you can build yourself by studying inexpensive home solar project manuals you can buy online. Or, if you are not at all comfortable with "do-it-yourself" projects, you can find an increasing number of competent solar technicians in your local area who can design and build your systems for you.

About the Author

John Erwin writes about a wide variety of subjects related to energy conservation, sustainable development, renewable energy, and environmental awareness. He is a contributing editor at http://www.GreenRealist.com and http://MyHomeGardenSupply.com.

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