Solar systems are becoming a good and an increasingly attractive source of renewable energy for the home. This is because of the three main reasons; specifically, the ever rising costs of electricity from conventional sources, the decreasing costs of improved solar panels for homes and incentive programs offered by governments that make green energy an attractive option.

In America, more than 10,000 homes and businesses are powered entirely by solar systems. Besides, 200,000 homes and businesses use solar systems for their energy requirements. That in turn leads to significant savings on electricity bills. Subsequently, the use of non-renewable resources like fossil fuels is decreased, which leads to less environmental pollution.

The cost of installation for a typical home can be $18,000-20,000 if carried out by a professional contractor. This high cost prevents families from using solar systems. But you can save money on installation via tax credits and state rebates. Besides, if you do it yourself, the cost would only be approximately one-third before tax credits and rebates.

You can have 2 choices: a stand-alone system which requires battery or a grid-intertied system.

A good upgrade to your home would be to convert to grid-intertied solar panel system. As always, planning ahead is the main prerequisite of successful conversion.

First, calculate the energy you need based on historical consumption. You have to select the right size of your solar panel system. An oversized system will generate more energy which you could sell to the grid, but you can only get credit and not cash for it.

Next, determine if your home is suitable for a solar energy unit. The factors to be accounted for include: available space on the roof, building location and climatic conditions. A good estimate of roof space is 80 to 100 square feet per kW. A building should be oriented towards south for the system to be efficient, and there should be no objects that may obstruct sun rays.

Although it is possible to mount the solar panel units on poles, panel systems are usually mounted on the roof. Using steel bolts, the supports are attached to roof rafters. The solar panels are then installed on the supports.

Solar panels are available in the market. There are vendors that offer their products on the web, but it is not recommended to buy from them unless you are an experienced DIY solar panel kit builder.

Typical set of hardware you need for a stand-alone system without a battery that is connected to the grid consists of: solar panel units, power inverter, power meter, supports to be installed on the roof, a couple of heavy duty safety switches, wirings and cable trays. A DIY kit for a 1-kW system would cost you a little over $3,000.

If you don’t have experience in this area, you ought to choose a respectable vendor who is known for excellent service. It is reasonable to purchase DIY kits with accompanying installation manual with at least enough illustrations. The vendor should preferably have telephone contact, and much better, could send a representative in case you need advice. Or if you are a lucky guy and have a friend or acquaintance who is experienced in installing home solar systems, then ask him to lend a hand in the procurement of the hardware and in the installation.

Many have shown that renewable energy can save you both money and the environment. With the abundance of improved, affordable solar panels for homes and businesses, solar electricity is the best option for the majority of people, so go back to that home improvement project: install a solar panel system for your home.