Siding
Best Siding and Trim Color Combinations
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders on your home, breathing new life into any room. Painting the outside of your home is essentially like a facelift for your house, making it look new again. But if choosing a paint color for the interior gives you anxiety, picking out colors for your siding and…
Solar
The Pros and Cons of Buying Out a PPA for Solar
Price of solar energy systems got you down? A power purchase agreement—otherwise known as a PPA—offers a powerful alternative to afford solar equipment. In these arrangements, homeowners allow a third party company to install a solar energy system on their property. The cost of installation and the maintenance falls to this company, rather than the…
Solar
There are dozens of reasons why installing residential solar panels is a great idea. Perhaps the most popular is it will save you money on your electricity bill. In fact, the allure of solar panels for most homeowners is that over their lifespan, they will pay for themselves. To do that, most homeowners will need…
Solar
Understanding the Quality of Different Solar Panels
Every day it seems like solar companies are releasing the most efficient solar panels to date. With so many companies making that claim, it’s difficult to wade through the noise. One useful resource to help you choose is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), who created standards for manufacturing solar panels under the ISO 9000…
Solar
Installing solar panels is a big investment, even with tax incentives to ease the financial strain. Because of the investment— and their constant exposure to the elements— solar panels need to be able to withstand extreme temperatures, from the blistering hot summers of Arizona, to the bitter cold winters of upstate New York. But how…
Solar
Best Roof Pitch for Solar Panels vs Solar Panel Tilt
There is now enough solar panel capacity to power 18 million American homes, according to the Department of Energy. As solar panel prices have gone down, demand has gone up. There’s a lot to research before installing solar panels — including the solar incentives and rebates out there. So how do you know if solar…
Solar
Questions to Ask Your Contractor About Your New Solar Panel Installation
After you have confirmed that your contractor is an expert and signed your contract, you’re finally ready to reap the bright rewards of solar energy for your home. But you probably still have plenty of questions about what comes next, and what to expect—both during the installation process after. Here’s everything you need to know. What happens…
Solar
What is a Solar Farm? A solar farm is an uninterrupted expanse of land with a large number of solar panels installed to generate electricity for your city’s power grid. These farms make money by selling sun-generated energy to the power company. Solar farms can be as small as one acre or as large as…
Solar
What are Solar Panels Made of?
Solar panels, once something from the future, are now a common sight on homes across the country. They can help lower your home’s energy bill, or can help you get off the grid completely. In the most basic terms, solar panels generate electricity when particles of light, or photons, knock electrons free from atoms. This…