It’s been a beautiful summer – clear skies, sunny days, and high temperatures. While you’re loving the tropical oasis outside, you prefer to keep it cool indoors, so you purchase two temporary air conditioning units – a sure hike on your usual monthly energy consumption.
You’re lounging in the sun one Sunday afternoon when you notice that your neighbor is having solar panels installed on their home. Could this be a long-term solution to keeping your energy costs down?
Here are the top 5 reasons you should consider a clean-energy alternative to powering your home.
A Short-Term Investment with Long-Term Gains
On average, families that have chosen to install solar energy in their homes have begun to see a return on investment in as little as five years. While the initial investment may seem overwhelming, an immediate savings of up to $100 per month on energy consumption will have you wondering why you didn’t consider solar energy sooner.
Suddenly, Your Home Is Worth a Whole Lot More.
Your real estate agent will thank you when he finds out you have solar panels installed – trust us! For buyers, solar energy translates as lower monthly electricity costs, not to mention the attention you’ll get from all the folks that are part of the ‘go-green’ movement that’s been taking the country by storm. Research shows that homes with solar energy sell on average 20 percent faster, at 17 percent higher rates than standard homes.
Your Eco-Footprint Shrinks, Major
Aside from your personal gains, imagine the eco-impact it would have if even just one city switched to solar energy. Studies show that one year after installing solar panels, homes have shown up to an 80 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions – now that’s impressive!
Did Someone Say ‘Tax Reduction’?
That’s right – you read that correctly. Tax reductions. In the United States, you can get up to 30 percent of your money back for solar panel equipment and installation as a federal income tax credit. In other words, that’s a 30 percent discount on an investment that will save you money for years to come.
If You Can’t Beat ‘em, Join ‘em
Solar power usage in the United States is growing, and fast. According to PBS, the solar industry generated US$154 billion in economic activity in 2016, and its revenues have grown from $42 million in 2007 to $210 million in 2017. States like California, Arizona, and New Jersey are leading in the trend. With numbers like that, there’s no doubt that families everywhere are moving lockstep in the direction of a cleaner environment.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of solar energy for your home, get an instant, personalized solar savings estimate using satellites and see how much you can save with solar.