So Your Neighbor Installed Solar Panels, Should You Do It Too?

So your neighbor got some huge black slabs installed on their roof recently? Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular for switching to greener practices and lifestyles. They promise to improve home efficiency and bonus, you get peace of mind knowing that you’re doing their part in helping protect the environment.

But is it really worth it? Here’s a few pros and cons of installing solar panels.

The Amount Of Power

There’s a common misconception that all solar panels are actually powerful enough to provide energy to your entire home. Unfortunately, it’s not totally true for most people. You generally need to live in a very sunny part of the country in order to be able to take full advantage of solar generation. In addition, panels don’t produce energy at night. So if you use a lot of electricity, it could quickly use up your reserves.

Other things to keep in mind: don’t rely on your solar panels during a blackout and don’t expect to see huge energy savings in the first few years either.

The Green Lifestyle

If you really want to protect the environment and do your part in saving the planet, it takes more than installing solar panels. Limiting the amount of waste you produce, thinking about how you use electricity not to mention water, gas, and tech are all part of the equation.

The more you focus on adopting green habits, the smaller your carbon footprint will be. While solar panels are a great way to help do your part, they’re not the end all be all when it comes to improving your environmental footprint.

The Cost

If the idea of installing solar panels seems a little too expensive then you have another great option; community solar. Services like choosesolar.com can help you take advantage of what’s known as community solar; a way to start using green energy without installing anything or investing a large sum of money. You essentially contribute towards the price and maintenance of large solar panels that are installed in farms. These farms then produce electricity which is then distributed to your local area.

This is a great way to take advantage of the green benefits that come with solar without investing in solar panels for your home. It’s a good option for people that don’t want to invest a large amount of money into the panels, and it’s perfect for people who are living in rentals and don’t have the option to perform drastic renovations to the exterior of their home.