It’s likely no surprise that people in our industry truly believe that using solar power is important. It’s important for many reasons, not the least of which is the long-term savings you’ll experience as you become less dependent on the existing energy grid. But here are three reasons other than financial that we believe make solar power an absolute must in your Boise area home or business.
Category: boise solar
Get Ready for Retirement Now with Solar Power
Most Americans will look to spend less once they enter retirement years. It just makes sense. Typically, you’re making less money, so you’ll want to find ways to spend less to maintain your current standard of living. One way to save in retirement is by decreasing your dependency on utility companies for supplying power to your home. By using renewable resources like solar energy, we can dramatically reduce, if not remove altogether, our need for power from the electric company.
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Solar Thermal Answer for Frozen Driveways, Patios and Walks
Shoveling sidewalks, patios and driveways is hard work. It’s even harder if you put it off too long and it sits overnight in the sub-freezing temperatures. While using a snow blower helps, wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have to deal with it at all? We’re not talking about moving to Florida. We’re talking about a smart solution that’s available right here in Southern Idaho. Solar thermal snow melting uses the sun’s rays to keep your driveway, sidewalks, and patios clear of snow and ice, regardless of the temperature.
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Use Solar Thermal for Warmer Floors!
Our cold winter mornings here in Idaho are more enjoyable with the addition of radiant floor heat. Walking on the cold tile first thing in the morning can be a shock to your system. Adding a radiant floor heating system alleviates this problem. Using a solar thermal radiant floor heating system is even better. Not only will you enjoy warm floors, but you’ll save money while being more environmentally friendly doing it!
Solar Thermal and PV Panel Maintenance and Cleaning
Installing a solar power system is a big undertaking and expense so you will likely want to do everything you can to keep it working, safely and efficiently. Maintaining and cleaning your solar panels is vital to keeping the system working at maximum capacity, providing solar hot water and power for your home or business.
First, scheduling annual cleanings of your solar panels is a good idea. If you live in a dusty area you may even need more frequent cleanings. Dirt, grime and droppings can accumulate on the panels causing them to be less effective. This is just one step of maintaining your solar panels.
During a yearly solar panel cleaning, you will need to follow a few steps, or ensure your solar panel cleaner follows these steps. First, check with your manufacturer’s handbook and see what specific cleaning recommendations they have. Following the manufacturer’s protocol is always a wise decision. Second, schedule your cleaning for a cool, cloudy day, early morning or late afternoon. Cleaning panels in the height of summer can be dangerous because in some cases they can become extremely hot.
In some cases, only a stream of water is needed to clean the dirt or dust off the panels. A squeegee and soapy water can be effective in more grimy situations. Avoid using any metal or harsh products to remove the dirt. Scratching or clouding the glass on the solar panel can have a negative impact on your system.
It is also important to have your solar panels electrical components checked and maintained. A solar power system check should be performed annually. These solar panel maintenance checks allow the equipment to be evaluated and the critical components checked. The solar inverter and solar panels need to run properly to power your home and with a yearly maintenance check they will continue to do so year after year. During the maintenance check, technicians will look for signs of wear or damage. Some repairs may need to be made on the spot like replacing seals or other small repairs.
Maintaining and cleaning your solar panels is a great way to keep them working for years to come. A professional solar panel cleaning is the safest way to get your panels clean and keep them functioning at their peak.
