There are many reasons why northern California homeowners are making the switch to solar. The most common reasons are to cut costs and help improve the environment. Solar power can improve your home’s efficiency, reduce your carbon footprint, and at the same time increase your property value.
Here are some of the top reasons why you should make the switch to solar power.
1. Reduce or Even Eliminate Your Electric Bill
Whether you are a home owner or business owner, your electric bill can be a large portion of your monthly expenses. With a solar system, you’ll generate free power to last a life time. Even if you don’t generate 100% of the power you consume, your solar system will dramatically reduce your powers bill.
Because electricity prices are often unpredictable, reducing your dependence on the power grid makes managing your budget much easier. By installing solar your make your electricity cost more predictable, which is especially beneficial for those on a fixed income, or a business who desires a more stable cash flow.
2. Protect Yourself Against Rising Energy Costs
On of the largest benefits to going solar is the ability to leverage your utility prices. Over the past 10 years, electricity prices have increased an average of 3% annually. By investing in solar now, you can fix your electricity rate and protect yourself against future price increases. If you are a home owner or business owner with fluctuating income every month, you can more easily manage expenses with a solar system.
Even if you don’t have the money to buy a solar system up front, you can still reduce expenses by financing your solar system. We work with solar finance companies with options for zero money down, low interest rates from 1.99%-3.99%, and low monthly payments. Even with financing a solar system, the monthly payment plus any small remaining electric bill is typically lower than your standard electric bill. Saving you money.
3. Increase Your Property Value
Studies have shown that homes with solar panels installed have a higher property value, and sell faster, than homes without. Early studies in California found that properties increased by 4% or more when a home has solar panels installed. As home buyers become more educated about solar, the demand for houses with solar panels already installed continues to increase.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory did a study over an eight year period in 11 states, and published their report in 2015. They were determined to find out how much value a solar system added to a home’s sale price. They found that solar can add $24,000 to a home’s resale value. View study. That’s great news for property owners. Not only recoup the cost of a solar system, but to increase their return on investment. Because of a solar system’s added value to a home, the real estate industry is working to create methods to accurately determine the market value homes with solar systems.
4. Help the Environment
It’s no secret that the world’s energy demand is increasing. That’s why solar is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. The U.S. Green Building Council reports that buildings are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the U.S. So going solar can greatly reduce that number. A typical residential solar system will eliminate three to four tons of carbon emissions every year! That’s the same as planting 100 trees a year!
Because electricity generated from solar panels is emissions free, solar reduces greenhouse gas. As a result, the power company uses less carbon when producing electricity for their customers because many of these companies still rely on fossil fuels. So your choice to switch to solar could be very significant.
Ready to get started? Click below for your free consultation with SolarWorx Energy or give us a call (209) 770-7807.