Can You Run Your Whole House on Solar

In this day and age, it’s easier than ever before to go green. In addition to saving the Earth’s resources, you can save money too. As a result, you may be considering solar power, an excellent addition to green living.

But can you run your whole house on solar power? Keep reading to discover the countless benefits of solar power and how to run your house efficiently using the power of the sun.
Solar Power in a Nutshell
Your solar power system will consist of solar panels, an inverter (or inverters) to convert the sun’s energy, and racking or mounting to keep the solar panels in place.

There’s no need to worry about switching your solar system on and off. It will automatically take care of everything for you. Your solar panels capture the sun’s energy in order to convert it to the energy used to power your appliances.

Can You Run Your Whole House on Solar Power?
Yes, you can. However, there are some things to take into consideration when figuring out how many solar panels you’ll need to power your entire home.

Kilowatt-Hours
Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) measure how much energy your home uses. You’ll need to know how many kWh you normally use when choosing how many panels to purchase for your home.

On average, the typical home utilizes 10,900 kWh annually. But your home might be different. Generally you can obtain this information from your utility provider or one of our dedicated solar consultants can usually get this information on your behalf. Once we know how many kWh your home uses annually, we can then determine how many solar panels you will need to produce that much energy.

Roof Size and Shading
When deciding how many panels you need, take into consideration the size of your roof and how much shading it has. This will help you choose the most efficient type of panels and system. Smaller roofs, or roofs with a lot of shading, should utilize high efficiency solar panels, like SunPower solar panels, in order to maximize the best spots on the roof. Larger roofs, or roofs without much shading, may be able to get away with a lower efficiency solar panels to save on cost. It is possible to get lower efficiency solar panels that are still high quality.

Battery Back-Up
Adding a Tesla Powerwall or SunPower SunVault battery may allow you to reduce your solar system size because the battery will store energy for you. As an added bonus, your battery will be able to back up critical loads when the grid goes down. When the grid goes down, solar energy will continue to power your home and charge your Powerwall.

Effects on Your Energy Bill
Solar panels can reduce or eliminate your energy bill, especially when you combine solar power with things like energy-efficient lightbulbs and appliances.

For a house with a correctly sized solar system, you may be able to reduce your energy bill to $10 a month or less! Your energy provider will most likely send you a statement so you can see how your energy bill was offset by your monthly net metering credits.

In addition, there are various finance methods that make solar panels for houses completely affordable. Many homeowners opt for a $0 down option with no upfront cost so that savings start happening right away!

Converting to Solar
Can you run your whole house on solar power? Absolutely. For the environmentally conscious, converting to solar power is an excellent idea. You can power your entire home and eliminate your energy bill with a warranty to back your system.

Begin by contacting us today and we can help you determine the number of solar panels you’ll need.

A member of our dedicated staff will be happy to assist you with all of your solar power needs. We’ll help you determine which solar systems are best for your home and get you on your way to green, affordable living.