Solar Panels: Prices Guides for Newbies
Thinking that solar panels are exactly what your home needs? It’s a great investment, not only for your home, but for the environment as well. Alternative energy sources can reduce pollution, save the planet’s fossil fuel sources, and save you money on your electric bills. However, if you’re like most people, the solar panels price may be a huge factor in your decision. Here is some infomration to help make your decision a little easier.
Used or New Solar Panels?
Price guides for new or used panels can fluctuate greatly, depending on where you live and how large your home is. You can save quite a bit of money initially by having used panels installed on your home. However, there are some disadvantages, too. For example, the average life of a solar panel is approximately 25 years. As time approaches this mark, the panels become less effective. Technological advances arrive each year that make the panels more effective and less expensive, too.
Between new and used solar panels, price differences can be quite substantial. For an average sized home, used panels will run about $6,000 to $12,000. New panels will cost about $20,000 to $25,000. For those on a budget, the used solar panels price is probably looking more attractive. But wait. With the latest rebates and tax credits, you can save as much as 30% with new panels. Another thing to consider is the warranty. Most new panels have a warranty of up to 25 years. Most used panels won’t have that type of warranty available. If you have to replace a panel every few years, it may not be much of a bargain.
Other Important Things to Consider
Before you decide that you want to go entirely “off the grid,” you’ll need to think about how many days of direct sunlight your home will get, too. If you live in Arizona, this may not be a problem. However, for those that live in Oregon or Washington, you may only get 125 full days of sunshine each year. Unless you invest in an extremely expensive storage system for the power from the panels, it’s not likely you’ll have enough power to completely keep your home from using grid electrical power.
Installation must also be considered. If the panels aren’t installed correctly, you may receive less power than you should. Some of the companies that promise low solar panels price for installation are nothing more than scam artists, too. You will have to do some research to be sure you aren’t a victim to one of those schemes.
Should You Build the Panels Yourself?
There are a lot of websites right now that offer the plans to build a solar panel. If you are just wanting to run power in a small shop or a single appliance in your home, these are pretty good deals. The solar panels price for these plans is usually fairly reasonable. However, most do not offer the same power output as those that are available commercially.
You’ll need some basic carpentry skills, but you can find most of what you need at your local hardware or home improvement store. After you build the first one, you can usually get through a second one in a long weekend. Most of the build-your-own solar panels price is about $300-$500. That’s quite a savings over new or used panels.
In Closing
Solar panels price guides are available all over the internet. Keep in mind that you’ll need to include installation costs and you may still have to stay on the grid for part of your power. However, it’s definitely worth your time to do a little bit of research.
Solar Panels Price Tip #1:
If you’re building your own solar panels, you can connect two or more panels together to increase the power output.
Solar Panels Price Tip #2:
To find used panels, contact the different building companies in the area and see if they have some they want to get rid of. You’ll be surprised at how often used panels are simply lying around collecting dust.
Solar Panels Price Tip #3:
The price of panels has dropped drastically in the last year. This is due to an abundance of product and falling sales from a slow economy. With the current rebates, going solar has never been cheaper.
