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Why is Solar Energy so groundbreaking?

“Solar panels are coming down dramatically in cost per watt. And as a result of that, the total amount of…

Is my home worth more with solar energy?

Installing Solar Panels can boost your home's property value.

BY HOW MUCH DOES SOLAR INCREASE YOUR PROPERTY’S VALUE?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory offers a useful guide when determining how much your property’s value will go up. According to its research, each additional $1 in energy bill savings (from your solar installation) adds $20 to your home’s total value.

This rule of thumb varies depending on a number of factors, including:

  • The location of your home. Installations in active solar markets like New Jersey typically yield higher returns than comparable installations in less developed markets.
  • The size of your installation. Property value increases are directly proportional to the number (and quality) of solar PV panels installed.
  • The value of your home. Larger houses usually receive higher nominal boosts in property value. However, this increase often represents a smaller percentage of the total home value.
  • The exact numbers vary from property to property and installation to installation, but recent research shows an average increase in resale value being $5,911 for each 1 kilowatt (kW) of solar installed.

The property value advantages of solar energy only increase as you scale up. Installing 5kW of solar panels adds an average of $29,555 to the retail value of a medium-sized home.

It’s important to note that these statistics only apply to today’s housing prices and utility rates. As electricity prices go up (as they most certainly will), the advantages of solar energy rise proportionally as well.

In addition, installing solar panels not only helps you fetch a higher asking price, but it can also help your home sell 20% faster as properties without solar installations. For homeowners who want to reduce exposure, paperwork, and wait times, this can be a huge advantage – especially in today’s sluggish housing market.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Installing solar panels is one of the safest and wisest investments you can make.

You enjoy electricity bill savings over the 25 – 30 years of your solar PV system’s lifetime. As utility rates increase, those electricity bill savings grow increasingly large with time. Even if you never sell your home, your installation fully pays for itself many times over. If you do decide to sell, you fetch a higher premium, which again, more than covers the upfront cost of installing solar panels. In other words, with the right-sized installation, solar energy is an investment that potentially pays a 200%+ return – far an excess of most any other financial vehicle you can imagine.

And unlike most investments on the market, you actually begin enjoying those returns on Day 1.

South Miami set to become first city to mandate solar panels on new homes

South Miami is set to become the first city in Florida to require owners of new homes to install solar…

Hurricane Prevention Tips

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A HURRICANE

1. Begin listening for storm updates or check National Hurricane Center updates at www.nhc.noaa.gov.
2. Fill the car’s gas tank and keep it topped off.
3. Fill propane tanks for gas grills and camp stoves.
4. Check your battery-powered equipment. A radio, lantern, flash lights… get candles
5. Preparedness plan with your household.
6. Refill prescriptions.
7. Stock canned foods, soft drinks and water.
8. Collect medical and property insurance papers, immunization records and medical records of anyone with special needs in a rugged, waterproof container. Include a few cherished mementos. If you evacuate to a friend or shelter, take these items with you.
9. If you are not in an evacuation zone, determine your “safe room” or a room that is away from windows and has walls close together.
10. Put shutters, window and door protection in place.
11. Do not trim branches or limbs from trees. These could become dangerous missiles if picked up by the wind.
12. Fill bathtubs and jugs with water. Figure on using a gallon of water per person per day. 13. If you have a pool you can always use that water to flush toilets.
14. Turn refrigerator and freezer settings to the coldest levels. Freeze water in plastic containers. Keeps thins cold even if freezer no longer runs.
15. Bring in any outdoor objects that could become projectiles in high winds: mailboxes, garbage cans, lawn furniture and garden tools.
16. Anchor anything that cannot be brought inside.
17. Install shutters or cover all your windows and doors.
18. Keep all windows closed during the storm.
19. Disconnect natural gas to individual appliances at the supply valves near each unit. Do not turn off the main gas line. Disconnect propane gas from individual appliances.
20. Remove valuable pictures and bric-a-brac from walls.
21. Wedge sliding glass doors with a bar.
22. Draw drapes and blinds.
23. Lower the water level in your pool. Turn off electricity to the pool and cover the pump equipment with waterproof material. Store child safety fences.
24. Gather your hurricane kit and stay in your safe room. Essentials for the room include your hurricane kit, sturdy shoes, something to cover your head such as a pillow or mattress and a fire extinguisher.
25. Did I mention getting some cash-out and the Pet food …

“One is too small of a number to achieve great things.”

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