How to Power Your Home With Solar Energy

One of the biggest problems with solar power is that it requires a large number of collectors to power a typical home, so many that the roof of the home might not support the additional weight. For this reason, it is important to first reduce the amount of energy that you use by making your home as energy-efficient as possible.

Drill
Socket set
Roofing tar
Insulation
Energy-efficient appliances
Energy-efficient heating/cooling system
Energy-efficient lighting
12 months worth of electric bills

Instructions

- 1
  Determine your electricity usage by examining your last 12 months' bills. Determine your monthly average usage by adding the kilowatt-hours for the year and dividing by 12. This information will let you know how many solar collectors you will need. Find collectors that will meet your energy needs. If you intend to install energy-efficient appliances, determine their energy usage before purchasing the collectors. Ideally, install enough solar collectors to slightly exceed your power needs.
- 2
  Purchase solar collectors and install them on the roof using the mounting supplies included with the solar panels. There are two types of mounts, roof ground mounts and flush mounts. In both cases, the mounts bolt to the roof of your home with a self-tapping mounting bolt or a bolt that must be pre-drilled. The difference is that roof ground mounts are positioned slightly above the shingles of the roof, and flush mounts hold the solar panel directly against the roof.
- 3
  Lift the solar panels onto the roof, assemble their mounts, then position them where they are exposed to the greatest amount of sunlight during the day and the year. Take into account trees on your property that might block sunlight. For example, if the front of a house faces east and the backyard is filled with trees, the best place for the solar panels is on the front roof because afternoon sun is blocked in the back.
- 4
  Pre-drill the mounting holes for the solar panel mounting brackets if necessary. If the mounts use self-tapping bolts, screw them into the roof with a socket wrench.
- 5
  Spread roofing tar around and over the mount to prevent rainwater from entering the home.
- 6
  Route the wiring from the solar panels down the side of the house on which the electrical box is situated. Hire a certified electrician to attach the solar power to the home's power box so that you adhere to the electrical code. Avoid working behind the electrical box, which is dangerous.
- 7
  Replace low-efficiency appliances and light fixtures with high-efficiency ones. Fully insulate an older home to increase energy efficiency.

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