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I don't have solar right now because our roof has about 5 more years before we replace it. After that we'll do the solar + new roof. The price for solar is steep (unless you "lease" it which we're not willing to do).
I have a obvious question, why doesn't everyone have solar electricity? There are so many advantages but obviously it has to be the initial cost start up which makes it difficult to purchase the system. I have tried to get a quote but they all of the companies want to give me an estimate over the phone. It is very annoying as I want someone to come out to my home for the estimate. Can you please let me know your experiences with the system and would you recommend it?
It's expensive to install & for those in HOA communities will be prohibited from doing so since you can see the panels!
That is generalizing..is it not? "Everyone" , cannot do the same thing. Or have the same requirements.
Why doesn't "everyone" ...use clotheslines and solar to dry their laundry?
Or have the same amount of children?
Or stop smoking?
Or weigh the same?
We here, hubby and I, use many "green" alternatives to general society norms. It doesn't mean that we expect others to have the same needs, or same requirements as we do.
I used rain water for a year to do laundry. Why? We had a severe drought here in SC. I also hang dry laundry.
We also compost. Do you?
And raise our own poultry for eggs and meat. As well as process them. Do you?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We also have a lot of 80-100' trees, but the roof is exposed much of the day. Our problem is that we can only depend on seeing the sun during July and August. In hot climates that would be good to run the AC, but we rarely get above 85 so AC is not really common here. I have several small solar panels
that power yard lighting , the riding mower trickle charger, and a pond pump,
but their usefulness is spotty.
Besides initial cost of installation, weather is also a factor. Some parts of the country are prone to regular hail storms that drop stones large enough to damage solar panels. Hurricane winds can rip up a poorly installed solar panel or whip up debris that slam into the panels damaging them. The southwestern part of the country is best for solar panels. People use the energy savings as a selling point to offset the cost of installation. But how many stay in the home long enough to see those cost savings? I believe a better option is for property developers to include solar panels in their initial design with foresight to include easy replacement of existing panels for new more efficient models without having to rip up mounting rails. Those designs should include the direction the home faces in relation to the movement of the Sun through the year.
That is generalizing..is it not? "Everyone" , cannot do the same thing. Or have the same requirements.
Why doesn't "everyone" ...use clotheslines and solar to dry their laundry?
Or have the same amount of children?
Or stop smoking?
Or weigh the same?
We here, hubby and I, use many "green" alternatives to general society norms. It doesn't mean that we expect others to have the same needs, or same requirements as we do.
I used rain water for a year to do laundry. Why? We had a severe drought here in SC. I also hang dry laundry.
We also compost. Do you?
And raise our own poultry for eggs and meat. As well as process them. Do you?
Great post! Whenever I see one of these "why doesn't everyone.....?" I see arrogance and holier than thou written all over it.
I like to think that "everyone" does the best they can under the circumstances they are given to the best of their ability. Other than that, no one needs to ask why they either do or don't.
How much is it to buy and install it if you hire somebody to do it? It would be worth it I think. People are paying hundreds of dollars in electric bills every month.
Too many variables to be able to give one answer. Our current area, the ROI just isn't there for most people since electricity is readily available in most places at a reasonable price. In lots of the country I see more potential for passive solar in winter if homes were designed for it. Because if the home is designed for passive right up front, there is very little increased cost during construction, so pretty much everything is payback. Even my parents home, built in the 40s was designed for passive solar just by designing the porch to shade the front of the house when the sun was high (summer) and let the sun in the front windows when low (winter). By mid morning mom could often turn the heat off and leave it that way.
The technology isn't perfect and most solar panels have a life expectancy of 10 years.
I live in the sunniest state in the sunniest country in the world, solar is everywhere.
But they aren't building new houses with it and that's why.
You have to get them installed.
Maybe in 20 years we'll all have em but right now they are far less than perfect.
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