Home Solar Q and A, part I

If your electric bill is anything like mine, it's been skyrocketing lately. Oil prices are rising, gas prices reflect it and our heat and air conditioning follow like lemmings over a cliff. My friends have all mentioned the same thing.

We've heard for years now of 'going green' or the 'green revolution' but rarely of existing homes that have been outfitted with solar water heaters or panels to ease their electrical burden even though it has been on the news. I look around my neighborhood and surrounding areas and have yet to see even one. I know I'm not alone when I state that it would be nice to get some kind of help with our electric bills.

I had been curious to find out how easy it would be to go solar. I would love to have a zero dollar electric bill or even better, sell electricity back to the energy company. How much nicer it would be to receive a check in the mail every month instead of a bill.

It sounds like a dream. Going green and living "off the grid" have been just that until now. My curiosity led me online where I found a website called http://www.EcoEarthMall.com. A FREE energy audit was advertised as being a phone call away.

As easy as picking up your phone? Less than an hour later I had answers to my questions and even explanations that made sense.

Josh was terrific! He asked for figures from my last few power bills to gauge my energy needs. Through satellite imaging he calculated my roof area, which told us how many panels were needed and what type. His number is (888) 674-1112 extension 84.

Josh sent me a sixteen page report via email and patiently explained everything on it, and even some things that weren't. He has information on rebates and tax credits, how much you can save over the lifetime of a solar system and even how much you can save the environment.

I now know that for less than 30k I can reduce my power bills by almost 75%! The cost is so much less than I expected! Between my states' Solar Energy Systems Incentives Program, the Federal Tax Credit impact and MACRS Depreciation my bill will be reduced by over Fifty thousand dollars.

In addition to the low cost of Solar, my impact against the environment will be much less. Over the next 25 years I will save the planet 409,000 air miles or 672,542 automobile miles. It's the equivalent to planting almost Eight Thousand trees!

My system will pay itself off and increase the value of my house. It's wonderful to know that there is an answer. I'll go into more information on my system in the next blog and steps I will have gone though as well.

Do you have questions about home solar? Please email your questions to info@ecoearthmall.com and 'appear' in our blog! Thank you.