Chapter 11-Solar panel maintenance

POWER OUTPUT-For solar panels,you want to check every few months for drops in productivity.You can do this simply by keeping track of your power bills.

ROOF PENETRATIONS-Check the flashing and sealing around roof penetrations.

DUST AND LEAVES 2-3times a year,give your solar panels a hose down.If they are dusty or dirty,there performance will drop.

SHADING-If there are trees around your house,check that they aren't shading your panels,Shade on your panels will reduce their performance and power output.

Before you buy-Optimizing your house
You can reduce your energy demand by taking a few simple steps.

Lightbulbs -replace your regular incandescent light builbs with a compact fluorescent light bulb(CFL)Compact Fluorescents use about 60% less energy than a regular bulb.

By simply using this bulb in place of a regular household bulb,you can save up to $60 per bulb in the costs of energy over the course of the bulb's life.

ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES One way to check for this is the energy star rating system.Here's a USA goverment website where you can find energy efficient appliances:

You can also look for the energy star logo on appliances in stores.

Appliances with the sticker have met the energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US department of Energy.

PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN If you are building a hourse,design for passive solar heat gains.

INSULATION This cuts down on heat losess and your heating bill.Many states have grants in place for improving your house's energy efficiency.Some programs will even put extra insulation into your house for free.Check DSIREUSA.org for details.Look up"energy efficiency rebates"