Things To Consider When Designing Your Own Residential Solar Power System

With the rising cost of gas prices these days and the realization just how finite the world's fossil fuel resources are, many people are now searching for alternative sources of energy from which to derive electricity. Residential solar power systems are currently being viewed as viable alternatives to traditional power sources.

With the recent developments in residential solar power technology, harnessing the power of the sun for electricity is no longer an expensive endeavor. Thus, solar power can be utilized in homes located in the suburbs and the cities when, before, only those residences that are not encompassed by the power grid are forced to make use of alternative energy sources. Prior to the installation of a residential solar power system, there are several things that you must consider.

The primary consideration is the system's size. If you own household appliances that run on electricity, you must determine the amount of energy each appliance requires in order to function. Alternatively, you can calculate your home's annual average electricity usage by gathering your utility bills from the past 12 months. Get the average of your household's electricity consumption by adding the actual kilowatt-hours used and then dividing the sum by 12. This is now your household's average monthly kilowatt-hour consumption.

Then, divide this amount by 30 to obtain the average kilowatt-hour used in a day. Divide this result by 5 (which is the average number of hours the sun shines fully in the United States). Lastly, multiply the result of the last calculation by 1.43 (this will account for the system losses). The final result will be the kilowatt-hour size of the solar-generated system that you will need for your home. Once you obtain the size of the residential solar power system required for your needs, a reputable solar power installer can help you set up the system that will harness the sun's power to provide electricity to your home.