In the last few years, the price of solar energy products has decreased significantly, which means more and more people are able to afford them. This, in turn, has led to a rise in popularity for solar energy among home owners. Perhaps more so than any other source of energy, solar power has the potential to reduce your energy bills while also offering environmental benefits.
Wherever you are in the world, climate change, energy costs, and the desire to reduce your carbon footprint have made solar power a sustainable alternative energy source that everyone can benefit from.
In case you’re wondering, solar power is electricity that is generated by using solar panels on the roof of your home. This article will provide you with the basics of how to build a solar house, including how to choose the right materials and equipment, to ensure you get the most out of your investment.
Choose The Right Location
Before you start building your solar house, you’ll need to choose the perfect site. If you live in a temperate climate, you’re in luck because most materials needed for home construction can be found locally. You’ll also need to check with your local government to see if you need any permits or restrictions before starting construction.
If you’re in a cooler climate and a lot of the materials needed for construction are not available locally, search for a nearby timber market or a hardware store that stocks materials needed for building. Also consider using some of your vacation rental properties to rent out space for the construction project.
The Cost Is Real
Even once you’ve decided where you want to build your solar house and managed to find the necessary materials, you’ll need a solid budget in mind. While the price of solar energy has decreased in recent years, the cost of materials and equipment still make it expensive. In fact, the cost of building a residential solar house is around $40,000, which is more than half of what it would cost you to build a traditional energy home.
As much as we’d like to think that technology has made our lives easier and our work less strenuous, the opposite is true. Every day, we rely on sophisticated electronics, software, and well-designed tools to make our lives simpler and safer. For example, the design company O’Neil & Sennewald created the PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED COURTYARD, a metal-framed solar house that can be set up and taken down in a matter of hours. This makes it ideal for vacation homeowners who need a place to unwind and relax after a long day of exploring the area’s attractions.
The Need For Insulation
Just about every home and office has some type of insulation which slows down the transfer of heat through the building. While the type of insulation you’ve got doesn’t matter that much, the location does. For example, if you live in a very cold climate and aren’t planning on keeping your home very cool, you might want to look into getting some fiberglass insulation. If your home is on the colder side, you might also want to look into getting thicker, heavier wall materials.
The Importance Of Ventilation
In addition to insulation, you’ll need to consider ventilation when building a solar house. This is especially important in hot climates where you don’t want excessive moisture or dampening from condensation forming inside your home. If you live in a very hot climate and don’t want your home to feel like a sauna, you might want to look into getting a few fans set up at strategic locations around the house to help move some of the air.
Types Of Roofs
The type of roof you’ll need depends on the climate where you build your solar house. For example, if you live in a temperate climate, you might want to go with a gable roof to maximize your exposure to the sun. If you’re in a colder climate, you might want to look into getting an insulated shingled roof to keep your home snug and warm.
Roof Pitch
Roof pitch is the amount of slope the roof makes with respect to the horizontal. If you have a roof that is three feet by five feet, a five-degree roof pitch would mean that each square foot of roof would be three inches higher than the one before it. This means that the first foot, second foot, and third foot of your roof would not be entirely flat but would have small inclines or ridges on them. These are known as roof tracks and can collect water during heavy rainstorms, making them ideal places for leaks and floods to develop. The ideal roof pitch for a summer home is around one to two degrees.
Consider The Position Of The Sun
One of the most important things to consider when choosing where to build your solar house is where the sun is at in relation to your home. If you live in a temperate climate and get a lot of direct sunlight, you might want to build your house near the equator to take advantage of the sun’s rays during the day. If you’re in a very cold climate, you might want to consider building your home in the southern hemisphere to take advantage of solstice effects and the sun’s rays at their most powerful during the day.
What About Heating?
If you live in a place where it gets cold, you’ll need to ask yourself whether you need to heat your home or office. Modern day appliances and fixtures such as dishwashers, clothes dryers, freezers, and refrigerators consume a lot of electricity and natural gas, which is why they’re often found in homes with another source of power generation such as solar or wind energy. If you decide that you need heating, you’ll need to get a few small space heaters which are cost-effective, eco-friendly, and easy to use. You can also use wood burning stoves as an affordable and eco-friendly source of heat, but they’re not very efficient. Space heaters are a great choice for homes with another energy source because they don’t require a constant flow of fuel to keep them going. If you buy an electric heater, make sure that it is energy-efficient because they consume a lot of electrical power.
Size Of The Room
The size of your living room, dining room, and kitchen area will determine how much space you have for each activity. For example, cooking involves a lot of moving around, and if there’s not a lot of room, you’ll have to cook one meal at a time. If you have a bigger kitchen, you can make more complex meals such as turkey, brisée, and stuffing sandwiches. These kinds of meals take more time to prepare and need more people to help out. Having a bigger room means more freedom and flexibility for you and your family.
How Much Power Do You Need?
To generate enough energy to heat your home, you’ll need at least 10 watts per square foot. This can be anywhere from five to 10 times the amount of power you need for other activities such as lighting and electronics. Your local electrical company will be able to advise you on how much power you need based on how many people are home and what they use.
The Location Of Your Outlets
The location of your electricity outlets is also something to think about when choosing where to build your solar house. If you have plenty of room near the wall, you might want to put the outlets there to give yourself more floor space. However, for those in less fortunate situations where there isn’t much room near the wall, you might want to put the outlets in the middle of the room to give yourself more breathing room.
Additional Considerations
Along with the basics of how to build a solar house, you’ll need to consider a few more things. For instance, how much maintenance do you plan on giving the house? Are you looking for a quiet place to read or watch TV? How about those rainy days when you don’t want your home to become a slippery mess? A few inches of snow or ice on your roof can make it difficult for people to get in and out of your home without injuring themselves.