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All homeowners want to save money. One area of concern for everyone is the ever increasing cost of energy. If we look around our homes we can almost always see ways to make improvements and increase our energy efficiency. But what can you do after the weatherization is completed and the appliances are upgraded? What more can you do to your building? Why not a do it yourself DYI solar panel system.
Many people around the world today are looking at adding their own home solar energy system for generating electricity. With all the talk these days about "carbon footprints" concerned citizens are also wanting to get "greener". Lets take a look at solar energy systems and the advantages of building your own solar panels.
Advantages of home solar panel systems. There are many advantages to fitting your home for solar energy. Solar energy can be stored in battery backup systems to provide lighting during power outages. Solar systems require virtually no maintenance and never need fuel. By using the sun to power lighting you can save a lot of money on energy bills. Many people would list reducing your carbon footprint as an important advantage as well.
Disadvantages of solar Panels. There are a couple disadvantages to mention as well. These systems will not work well when there is no sun. Most people living out of the sun belt will not be able to rely solely on solar power. However the advantages still outweigh this fact. The biggest disadvantage for the time being is the retail cost of solar energy systems and the cost of professional installation.
Cost of retail solar panel systems. The average cost of professional installations is right around $27,000. That is a big investment and it will have a long payback period before you generate enough power to pay for it. This is why so many people just like you are building their own solar panels.
Advantages of "Do it Yourself" energy systems. The biggest advantage to building your own system is the cost savings. A person with average technical skills can build their own DIY solar panel energy set up for as little as $100 for a 75 watt panel. This allows almost anyone to save $1000's over the cost of a retail install. If you enjoy working on your own projects, it can be satisfying and a lot of fun to build solar panels.
You will only need a space to work and common household tools aside from a small electrical meter and some soldering tools. All the materials can be purchased locally in most cases or if not they can be ordered online.
Don't be afraid to tackle a DIY solar panel project like this. There are some excellent guides available to walk you step by step through the process. The best ones will have detailed plans as well as video instruction so you can be confident of professional results. These guides are not expensive either. The one I personally recommend sells for under $50.
We have looked at the advantages and disadvantages. All you must do now is decide if you want to pay someone else $1000's or roll up your sleeves and build your own DIY solar panel system. I think I know the answer.
Solar energy projects are fun and easy to do. They are great for your home, lake cabin or RV. If you are interested in learning how to build solar panels, I invite you to visit my web site and watch a short video that will show you just how easy it is.
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