The Difference a Solar Panel can make to Your Home
Whether you’re concerned about the effects of fossil fuel usage as far as global warming is concerned, or if you are simply keen to reduce your energy bill – the chances are that you have thought about installing a solar panel at one point or another. If there’s one source of energy that’s guaranteed to remain free for millions of years to come, it’s the sun. Home owners across Australia are investing in panels and thanks to the high volumes of sunshine – they are often enough to heat water, provide warmth and minimise household bills in general.
How Panels can Affect Your Home’s Water
Most homes have a boiler; when activated it’s the boiler’s job to provide heated water for use in showers, baths, kitchen sinks and for general warmth (such as the warmth emanated from radiators). Modern panels can be connected directly to a water supply, with the coils warming as the sun’s rays are harvested within the flat panel itself.
This heating works in much the same way as it would if you were to switch on a radiator, heater, or other device. As the energy is harvested and transported via the cables, the water within your boiler or storage system will warm up, which will then be usable in and around your home. This eliminates the need to use fuels such as gas or coal around your home, making panels a great option for summer use – especially if you’re hoping to keep your bills as low as possible.
Can Panels Replace Standard Energy Sources?
In many instances, just a single panel can power an average home all day long. Smaller versions may be better suited to minimised uses, with larger equivalents being ideal for more demanding properties. But in either instance, as long as the panel is exposed to direct sunlight during the day, they will often generate enough energy to provide general warmth all day long.
This doesn’t make them unusable during cloudier days either, in fact as the sun’s rays are typically powerful enough to penetrate layers of cloud and other atmospheric gases, it’s possible for panels to harvest these UV rays and then convert them into sources of energy. The results? A home that is able to reduce its energy consumption, decrease bills and take less of a toll on the environment. Are Panels for Everyone?
The short answer is yes, and in reality more and more residential and commercial buildings are turning to the potential of sunlight panels to provide energy to their properties. Larger buildings may require more to be installed, with residential premises being able to benefit from just one or two. There’s no limit either, and the more than are installed, the greater the amounts of energy that can be achieved.
It’s also possible for the energy to last well over 12 hours. The simplest use of a panel is to heat water in much the same way as a boiler, but advanced models can be modified to power entire homes.