Do you want to continue shoveling thousands of dollars into covering your power bill when an installation of solar panels not only eliminates that need, but also allows you to sell energy back to the power company? I’m talking homes, businesses, everywhere. Would you rather fill up your truck’s thirty-gallon gas tank with every last penny of your check rather than partially rely on electricity for your car that you have an abundance of anyways thanks to those solar panels? See, being green can be fun. Or at least helpful to your wallet, which is fun.

Of course, as with everything good in life, there is a risk involved. In California, you can’t control what’s going to happen. Earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, they’ve got them all. Usually there is nothing we can do about it, except be prepared. Being a little prepared can go a long way. You wouldn’t want the earthquake to hit before you put the seismic strap on the water heater. If you haven’t done that yet, you’re welcome for the reminder. I’ll wait right here while you go take care of that.

Protect yourself

Let’s be honest, despite the financial relief going green has after the initial set up, installation can be awfully expensive. The kind of expensive that prompts you to sell a kidney on the black market just to make it to next week’s paycheck. Why take the risk when you can protect yourself with a few simple steps:

• Learn what types of disasters are prevalent in your area
• Did you know many homeowners insurance policies do not extend coverage to fixing or replacing the damage caused to green items in your home?
• Figure our what is covered, then fork up the few extra bucks a month for the full coverage. You’re already saving more with all that extra energy you’re selling back to the power company; keep that source of income safe!
• Learn the methods to reduce risks associated with going green

Think about it, isn’t this one of those situations where it is better to be safe than sorry? Thanks to the California Green Chemistry Initiative, turning towards environmentally friendly methods is becoming increasingly more important, but so is protecting yourself against disasters.

What could happen?

There are all kinds of potential hazards to your green technology: floods, winds, an earthquake, blue ice falling from an airplane. Get your green building covered from it all. Whether you come from a family of diesel truck drivers, or even own an industrial oil company, it’s ok to go green.

Should a disaster ever occur, there are companies available to assist any cleanup and restoration needed, companies that have become Certified Green Risk Professionals, working to help protect those with green homes affected by disaster.

The post Green Risk Certification in California appeared first on Dzhingarov

• Easy Maintenance

The first factor is that they are extremely easy to manage, and do not require special maintenance or even special knowledge. Once the panels have been installed, you can simply ignore them; they work independently of any other power source, so you will never have to worry about the impact of a power outage or checking whether they are connected properly. If they are installed on areas where there is low risk, such as on roofs and areas with restricted public access, then you needn’t worry about damage – once they are installed, you can literally forget they are there.

• Longevity

One worry which many people have is that their solar roof shingles are not going to last for the length of time they occupy the property. Irrespective of the weather, solar shingles are estimated to have a life span of at least thirty years, and may last for significantly longer. Therefore you should not worry about them being an investment which will never pay for themselves; by the time you have had them installed for thirty years, they will have paid for themselves over and over again.

• Money Saving

As much as helping the environment is fantastic, the main reason why people install roof shingles or panels is that they want the money which can be reaped from energy companies and the government for helping to produce energy. The National Grid will purchase any excess energy you produce with no hassle at all – you simply set up a contract with your energy supplier, and agree on whether you want your payments to be processed annually or monthly. Of course some months you may earn more than in others, depending on the amount of daylight that we get. However even in the winter months, you will continue to be earning from the excess of energy you produce.

The UK government recently emulated the German government’s feed-in tariff scheme, where the government will pay households which produce solar energy for the production, even if they use it themselves. Even if you do not find yourself producing enough excess energy to sell back to the National Grid, you will still be paid by the government for producing green energy.  Such schemes are changing all of the time, so some research into what the government’s current plans in regards to green energy are should be enough to convince you of the benefits of solar power.

• Eco-friendly

In today’s world, having an environmentally-friendly home is something which prospective property buyers and investors look for. By installing solar panels or shingles, the value and desirability of your home can increase substantially. The property market is slow and can be frustrating; with the selling point of being paid by the UK Government and National Grid to produce energy, you may well find your property selling very quickly. Even if you are not looking to sell, you never know what the future may hold – by installing solar shingles on the roof of your property, you will only increase the house price!

• Adds Value

The final reason that you should consider installing solar panels or shingles is simply that it can increase the value of your home. Potential buyers will be attracted by the fact you already have them installed which means they don’t have to go to the trouble and expense themselves, plus they know they will benefit from the reduced energy bills your existing system should also be helping generate.  Generally, we are starting to worry less about the not-so-aesthetic appeal of roof fitted solar panels and be more concerned about their benefits to our pockets and the environment.

The reasons here should be enough for you to consider installing solar panels. If you are in any doubt, do some more research and see what is available. The broad variety of schemes by the government and energy suppliers means that you should well be able to find the right fit to suit you and your home. If the idea of financial reward and increasing the value of your home is not enough, by installing them you are doing your bit for the environment and future generations. Remember that although initial price may seem high (although not as high as many people believe!), the return and satisfaction you receive as a result is well worth the up-front cost!

The post 5 Reasons to Install Solar Roof Shingles appeared first on Dzhingarov