Make An Energy Efficient Home With Homemade Solar Power
With all the environmental concerns the whole world is facing right now, converting your home to a solar home and thus an energy efficient home would seem very practical. There are many ways by which you can do this, and the options are not as expensive as you may think.
Energy Efficient Home – Solar Design
A passive solar design is sensible under the present circumstances and it will provide off grid power. It provides heating, cooling, as well as natural light for your energy efficient home without having to spend useless energy for that. In fact, you do not use any special kind of equipment at all, the reason why it is called passive.
What you will need are basic construction materials for your energy efficient home which you will fit in a design that enables you to take advantage of the sun. Windows, walls, floors, and roofs are key factors in this aspect. You will make use of these things, with a little help, perhaps, from fans, and the like, in order to distribute just the right amount of heat come winter time. Bricks and stones store and collect heat naturally. You can also place overhangs on windows facing the south, in order to sort of block the rays of the sun.
Another option for an energy efficient home is to use solar electricity to power up your home appliances. Solar electricity is produced when photovoltaic cells absorb the sunlight, converting it to energy, such in the case of solar panels. However, the energy generated by solar panels has to be converted first to household power by way of an inverter. Solar electricity can be used to support the metered electricity you may already be using, or it can be used as a sole source of electricity. In the event that this becomes your only source of electricity, you must have a generator to serve as back-up.
Solar Water Heating in an Energy Efficient Home
You can also have solar water heating as an environment-friendly alternative to your electric heater which you often use for showers, cooking, and cleaning. This energy efficient home technology is one of the most commonly used in a solar home. Generally, solar water heating system is of two kinds, and one of these is the closed loop system. This type of system is ideal in areas that are not usually affected by extremely cold weather.
Whichever technology you want to apply in your energy efficient home to turn it into a solar home, you should always bear in mind the energy efficiency level of that system. After all, if it is more energy-efficient, you will significantly reduce your need for heating, cooling, or electricity. Higher insulation levels, and more energy-efficient windows and appliances can save you a lot, both in terms of money and energy, and the best part is that you can make Mother Earth smile with a solar home.