Solar is becoming the energy of the present. It’s more affordable and reliable than ever, meaning a lot more people are making the switch over. Solar panels still aren’t perfect, but they’re getting closer every day.
Here are some of the pros and cons of solar panels to help you decide whether or not to make the switch.
The Pros of Solar Panels
Solar panels offer some unbeatable benefits. Here are three of the best ones.
Go Green
The most touted benefit of solar panels is the environmental impact. Solar energy is completely green. With solar panels, you’re reducing your carbon footprint and helping the entire world become a better place.
Energy prices fluctuate, but solar power does not. The sun is a constant source of reliable and consistent energy.
Low Maintenance
Solar panels are extremely low maintenance. They can last up to 30 years with little to no maintenance. All you need to do is keep them clean by hosing them down twice a year.
Save & Make Money
With solar panels, you’ll notice a big dip in your energy bill. In fact, you’ll likely make money by investing in solar panels. The excess energy the panels bring in is sold back to the power grid, netting you a good chunk of change over time.
Plus, there are plenty of tax benefits available to people with solar panels. In some states, the government will pay up to 30% of your installation costs. Talk about a deal.
The Cons of Solar Panels
Of course, there are also some drawbacks. Here are three of the most pressing ones.
Expensive at First
It’s not cheap to install solar panels. Although the prices are falling, it will still cost you upwards of $10,000 to install them on your home. You’ll make up a good deal of this over time, but the initial price is still enough to turn some people off.
Plenty of companies are trying to offer more affordable solar panels as demand rises. Some even offer zero down solar installation! It’s worth looking into if the price makes you weary.
Dependent on Weather
Solar panels can only intake energy when the sun is out. You won’t get any energy intake at night, and less on really cloudy days.
Thankfully, solar systems store energy for later. So you won’t run out of power just because it’s night. But if you experience a lot of clouds, you may have a few issues.
Space
You’ll need a good amount of roof space to install solar panels. Every kW of solar panels requires about 100 square feet of roof. If you’re living in a smaller home, solar panels might not be a viable choice for you.
Always have your roof inspected before going forward with installations.
The Pros and Cons of Solar Panels: Should I Invest?
As you can see, there are a lot of heavy pros and cons of solar panels. But for the most part, the cons are outweighed by the pros.
The cons are constantly being improved upon as more research is put into solar power. They’ll only get more affordable and efficient as demand grows. Don’t let the cons get you down — soon they’ll be a thing of the past.
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