With today’s rising cost of energy we are always on the lookout for a way to help combat these costs. What if you could freeze the price of electricity? How is this possible you might think? Well the answer is solar power. With today’s technology solar cells and the equipment to convert the power hove become more efficient and cost effective. Now you are thinking since we live in the great Pacific Northwest and see a lot of rain and clouds that solar power couldn’t be of much use. Heat does not make solar power, daylight makes the power. While it is true the direct rays of the sun will produce the most energy the cloudy days will still produce enough energy to help freeze the cost of your power bill.
If your home has a southerly orientation you have the potential to generate 1.2 kilowatts of power per 100 square feet of roof area in a day. That is enough power to light a 100 watt light bulb for 12 hours. The average home in the state of Washington uses approximately 32 kilowatts of power in a day. The average rate per kilowatt hour is around 8-1/2 cents which amounts to $2.81 per day. The power companies are trying to get a 12% rate increase which would result in an increase of $0.34 per day. Solar power has the potential to absorb these rate hikes, essentially freezing your rate.
With the incentives that the federal government and local power companies are offering for alternative energy, the cost to install a solar powered system over time will prove to be worth the initial investment. The average home could install a 4.8 kilowatt system, approximately 400 square feet of solar cells. This could save you approximately $0.41 per day in your electric bill, which would more than offset the proposed rate increase.
Re-roofing is the perfect time to think about retrofitting your home with solar power. Certainteed, a leading roofing products manufacture, offers the Apollo Solar Roofing System that is designed to integrate with asphalt shingles. The Apollo Solar Roofing System can be installed for about $5 to $6 per watt. The Apollo System has a system warranty of 10 years and a power warranty of 25 years.
Regal Roofing & Contracting is a certified installer of Certainteed’s Apollo Solar Roofing System. If you are considering an alternative source to power your home and solar makes sense as the answer then contact Regal Roofing & Contracting to consult with you about your solar options. Regal Roofing can visit your home and perform a site analysis to let you know what solar power can do for you.