Solar energy (Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale: credit, house, buying)

[blisterpeanuts]

Before I moved to Glendale I was excited about the prospect of putting in solar hot water, evaporative cooler, and maybe even photovoltaic panels to reduce those high summer electric bills and do my little bit for the environment.

But some folks in the home improvement business have thrown cold water on my plans. They say solar hot water "makes you feel righteous" but has maintenance issues and takes 5-6 years to pay for itself. Evaporative coolers introduce moisture that can lead to mold, and they do require regular maintenance. Solar electric panels are still extremely expensive and it can take 20 years to pay for themselves.

Also, the prices seem to be higher than I expected. I've heard an evap cooler might cost $300 plus installation, which seems reasonable, but I've also heard much higher numbers. Similarly for solar hot water.

I don't know. I guess I need to get some vendors out and give me estimates, and we can make a decision. It seems stupid to waste all that sunlight. My electric bills in August (when we moved here) were over $300/month. If that's going to be the average for five months a year, then shaving $100/month off that bill is going to pay back pretty quickly I would think.

I would also hope and expect that solar energy will increase the resale value of my home so I would get some of that money back if I sell the house in about 5-6 years. But a fellow at Home Depot who was trying to sell me attic insulation claims that some people regard it as not an asset but as a nuisance and will disconnect it. He argues that attic insulation, plus modern insulated windows, makes the biggest difference in home energy use.

My windows are crappy, but my attic insulation is normal and the attic is well ventilated, so I'm not sure his argument really applies. I do want better windows but it'll cost about $300-$500/window. I guess that also increases resale value.

Just thinking out loud here. I would love to hear any comments, pro and con, regarding solar energy.

[joninaz]

Definitely get better windows and also get custom shades that fit over them like fly screens (you pop them off in the winter). I did the former one summer and it helped. Later added 3M window film, which was an improvement. But then added the shades and the change was remarkable.

I planted vines/shrubs along sun exposed walls, which keeps the direct light off them and added a overhead lattice to extend shade several feet out from the house. You can do this with simple nylon twine depending on location. I also planted several trees which in time will provide summer shade on much of the house (if you do this, get trees that drop their leaves in the winter as you'll want the sun exposure when cooler).

You can buy radiant barrier panels and install those in the attice. They help keep out the heat. I also have two gable fans in the attic that kick on automatically when it gets over 100 degrees up there, helping to exaughst the hot air.

If you have an old AC unit that could be an energy hog.

My house was built in the 60s using block walls and I had a company come out and inject them with insulation. They literally drill small holes then fill up the wall cavities with a liquid foam that hardens and makes the external walls much more energy efficient (and the house more quiet as a nice side effect).

Scottsdale puts on a free Green Building Expo every year where you can check out a lot of new innovations. It's months away, but you can browse through the site and check out links to exhibitors to get some ideas. LINK

[foma]

I don't understand why solar energy isn't a 'bigger deal' here in phx. I mean, we have a TON of sun and open land. it should be a requirement, IMO!

[mistyriver]

We used to live in Litchfield Park and now live in northern Idaho. We are completely off the grid and live on solar power. I often look back at our years in AZ and wish we had put in PV panels and tied to the grid. It's hard to imagine, especially with federal tax credits that it would take anywhere near 20 years for them to pay for themselves in Phoenix. Our equipment here has paid for itself in two years.
I will ask my husband to come back and look at this thread. He is an electrical engineer and he has actually gone into business here designing alternative power systems.

[foma]

That would be awesome. You know, we're looking into buying our first home and looking into "green alternatives". It's hard to imagine that in AZ of all places, this kinda stuff isn't as readily available as I thought it would be, especially with all these new builds.

[mistyriver]

Folks in the home improvement business , if the original poster is talking about Home Depot, Lowes, etc. usually don't know what they are talking about in regards to alternative power. Most electricians don't know much either.
We have dealt with these people in Flagstaff and order from them and they are a good company. They would be a good resource to start with:
Solar Electric Systems

[BillyBaroo]

One reason we don't have more solar power in Arizona, the electric companies haven't figured out a way to put a meter between us and the sun.

[foma]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

One reason we don't have more solar power in Arizona, the electric companies haven't figured out a way to put a meter between us and the sun.

Actually, that is incorrect. We do have solar and windmill farms. One of the reasons is that it's not cost effective yet. There is a way to meter the energy. It's just really expensive. Maybe I am not understanding your statement?

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by foma

Actually, that is incorrect. We do have solar and windmill farms. One of the reasons is that it's not cost effective yet. There is a way to meter the energy. It's just really expensive. Maybe I am not understanding your statement?

Just an old joke. It's saying that if we had solar panels on our homes and we got electricity for free, the electric companies wouldn't like it. So to make money they would have to find a way to charge us for all that free solar energy. Thus the old joke about putting a meter between us and the sun.

[foma]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

Just an old joke. It's saying that if we had solar panels on our homes and we got electricity for free, the electric companies wouldn't like it. So to make money they would have to find a way to charge us for all that free solar energy. Thus the old joke about putting a meter between us and the sun.

Ha, I get it now! foma <--- can be ditsy at times.

I've heard of stories where people actually get paid by the electric company b'c they make more energy from solar than the household expends. Kinda cool if you ask me.