When choosing to go solar for your water heating needs, there are a number of factors you will need to consider to help you make the best decision. Installing these systems is a big investment for homeowners, and you want to be sure you are making the most of your investment. Before you purchase your new solar hot water system, follow these tips.

Decide if your site is right for solar

• Does your roof receive direct sunlight during peak hours year- round?
  
• Does your roof face south?
  
• Is your roof in good condition?

Decide what type of solar hot water system meets your needs

• Learn how solar hot water systems work to determine which type is right for your needs
  
• Consider how you will protect the system during freezing temperatures
  
• Determine the capacity you will require
  
• Contact a solar hot water system contractor
  
• Ask to receive an estimate for your home’s new solar hot water system
  
• Check your solar hot water system contractor’s references
  
• Find out about local permitting requirements and ask if the contractor will take care of obtaining them

Learn about rebates and incentives

• To take advantage of the federal tax credit, make sure the solar hot water system you’ve chosen qualifies
  
• Check with your state and local utility providers to see if they offer additional incentives for homeowners who install solar hot water systems

Consider future maintenance requirements

• Learn what steps need to be taken to properly maintain your solar hot water system
  
• Ask your solar hot water system contractor if they provide maintenance services
  
• Ask your solar hot water system contractor how often the system should be inspected and if inspections are necessary to comply with product warranties
  
• Learn about weatherization steps that may be necessary for your new solar hot water system
  

When it comes time to choose a geothermal heat pump system for your home, which brand do you trust? Over one million homeowners in American have chosen ClimateMaster for their system’s needs. Learn more about ClimateMaster and see why their products make a great fit for your home.

ClimateMaster heat pump systems are extremely efficient. Versus conventional heating and cooling methods, their equipment is 400 to 600 percent efficient! With conventional high efficiency equipment, the best you’ll get is around 95 percent efficiency. With 4 to 6 times the efficiency of conventional heating and cooling methods, ClimateMaster heat pump systems offer savings of up to 80 percent on energy bills.

Heat pump systems by ClimateMaster are built to last. Their products are extremely durable and have a life expectancy of over 20 years- much longer than most traditional heating and cooling systems. Plus, their maintenance needs are very little.

ClimateMaster heat pump systems also offer the convenience of home cooling, so there is no need for separate air conditioning equipment. You will save on expensive cooling costs in the summer without an electric air conditioner. Plus, you won’t see those high gas bills in the winter, or have to worry about propane delivery!

When you choose a ClimateMaster heat pump system for your home, you’re also benefiting the environment. These high efficiency systems severely cut down your home’s use of fossil fuels and electricity, so your home contributes less carbon emissions. With geothermal heat pump systems, nearly all of the energy needed to heat and cool your home is renewable.

Smith Sustainable Design installs ClimateMaster heat pump systems for homeowners and businesses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Contact us today to learn more about how these great products can improve your home comfort.

Solar financing options have made it possible for more homeowners to reap the benefits of having solar modules installed. By eliminating the high price tag for equipment and installation, solar financing is becoming a popular option for installing solar modules. There are a few different types of solar financing options available, so we’ve gone through the basics below to help you better understand them.

Power Purchase Agreements

A Power Purchase Agreement, commonly referred to as a PPA, allows the homeowner to negotiate the purchase price for the power only. This is done through a third party financing company who owns and installs the solar module. The benefit of a Power Purchase Agreement is the ability to purchase energy at a much lower rate than a consumer could get from a utility company. Most Power Purchase Agreements have credit score qualifications which must be met.

Pros:

• In most scenarios, no money is needed upfront.
  
• Savings on energy prices for the term of the contract.
  

Cons:

• No ownership over solar module, so homeowner will not receive tax credits.
  
• Transfer of contract may not be permitted if homeowner is selling home.
  

Solar Leases

In a lease, the solar module is also owned by a third party. This option is just like what you would find if you wanted to lease a car. You’ll stick to a payment schedule which is determined by the cost of the system. Your agreement may also include a buyout option before the end of the contract term, so you may choose to own your solar module system in the end.

Pros:

• Usually no money down.
  
• Savings on energy prices.
  
• Potential for ownership of system.
  

Cons:

• Contract is only transferable to a new homeowner if they qualify credit-wise.
  
• You won’t receive tax credits.
  

Solar Loans

A solar loan is just what it sounds like. A homeowner can borrow money to pay for the installation and equipment. You’ll stick to a repayment schedule and have to qualify based on your credit score and other considerations.

Pros:

• You’ll own the system.
  
• You’ll receive tax credits.
  

Cons:

• You may be required to make a down payment.
  

Property Assessed Clean Energy

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a program ran by the government to help homeowners purchase solar modules. There are no credit score qualifiers and no money down is needed, but you must have 10 percent property equity. You’ll be billed when you receive your property tax invoice bi-annually.

Pros:

• No money down is available.
  
• Tax-deductible interest.
  
• You can receive tax credits.
  
• Financing usually will transfer to new owner upon sale of the home.
  

Cons:

• Your property tax bill will be higher.
  

American households consume a great deal of energy. In fact, the amount of energy consumed for water heating purposes is more than what is used to power a home’s lighting, appliances, and gadgets combined! Approximately 8 percent of homes in the United States replace their water heaters each year- if you’re due for a new water heater, you should consider a solar hot water heater system.

Conventional water heating methods burn fossil fuels, whether directly or during the production of the electricity used for power. Residential water heating in the United States creates 173 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year! Every home and every fossil fuel burning appliance inside has a great impact on our environment, whether you realize it or not.

Switching to a solar hot water heater system can greatly reduce your home’s environmental impact. If more American homeowners switched to solar hot water when replacing their current water heater, a significant reduction in the collective household carbon emissions would be seen. Not only would homeowners benefit by becoming more environmentally friendly, they would also be rewarded with much lower energy bills.

The United States is a great place for solar hot water heater systems. Our country receives a great deal of sunlight exposure, which would greatly reduce dependence on fossil fuel water heating if solar hot water heater systems were in play in American homes. Of course, your home site and other factors will play in to whether or not solar water heating is a good option for your particular home.

Solar hot water heater systems are an affordable solar option, with a much lower price tag than solar electricity systems. Most homeowners find that the energy savings these systems provide greatly offset the installation costs and make for a valuable investment. Many states and local programs offer incentives for homeowners who install solar hot water heater systems, along with federal tax credits.

When you install a geothermal heating and cooling system at your home or business locations, you’ll receive a big payback. Geothermal systems offer many benefits that traditional heating and cooling methods do not. The price you pay to upgrade to geothermal will surely result in a big payback to you.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are tried and true. This method of heating has actually been around for thousands of years! It is often viewed as a new technology, and while it has been perfected over the years by advancing technology, geothermal has been heating and cooling homes and businesses for longer than you may realize.

Other methods of heating and cooling don’t really pay you back. While upgrading to more energy efficient equipment promises energy savings, the improvement to your utility bills isn’t as drastic as you think. Geothermal heating and cooling systems cut energy bills by up to 80 percent- you’ll definitely notice that decrease on your monthly utility statements. These mechanical systems also have more moving parts compared to geothermal systems, and can require more maintenance and repairs, which ends up costing you more than a geothermal heat pump.

Old furnaces and air conditioners don’t always pay you back in improved comfort. Forced air systems can be noisy and can detract from the peace and serenity you’re trying to achieve inside your home. Plus, this forced air method falls short in providing consistent, even heating and cooling throughout your home- you can blame it for that one room that’s always too hot or too cold. Geothermal heating and cooling systems offer quitter operation and consistent temperatures throughout your living space.

By using a geothermal heating and cooling system, you’ll receive the payback of clean energy. You won’t be burning dirty fossil fuels and coal to create the energy your system needs- geothermal uses clean, natural energy straight from the earth! So you’ll be doing you part to help the environment while staying comfortable inside your home.

Have you been seeing more rooftop solar installations in your neighborhood? Their high price tag once put them out of range for many homeowners. Now, thanks to lease options, more homeowners are able to undergo solar installation and reap the benefits of generating their own electric power

Lease options eliminate upfront costs for installation, labor, and equipment. With a solar lease, you can enjoy immediate energy savings without the hefty price tag. You won’t have to worry about waiting until after your payback period has been met to truly gain energy savings from your solar installation.

In locations across the United States, solar lease options are helping new demographics of homeowners take advantage of using solar energy use. While you may only have seen them in more affluent neighborhoods before, solar installations are springing up in neighborhoods everywhere. The difference is that some homeowners choose to own their systems outright while others choose to lease.

A study performed by the United States Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory found a correlation between owning a solar panel system outright and a household’s income. Neighborhoods with households averaging income of $150,000.00 or more each year have been found more likely to own solar panel systems outright.

The solar lease options are more popular in neighborhoods with lower household incomes. While the upfront cost to own a solar panel system might be out of the question for many households, solar leasing makes the solar power option a possibility. Choosing to lease a solar installation has opened the doors for many new homeowners to add solar panels to their homes and reap the benefits.

Many business owners are aware that solar energy can be used to provide electricity for a variety of business needs, but did you know that you can also use solar energy to heat water for all types of applications? This use of solar energy is called solar thermal, and the sun’s energy is used to heat water or another type of fluid, not generate electricity.

The benefits of a solar thermal system are countless. They benefit businesses by:

• Reducing utility bills- Solar thermal systems help homes and businesses cut the amount of electricity or other heating fuel necessary to heat water. They can save you up to 70 percent off your water heating expenses, and in some applications, may even be able to provide all the energy necessary for water heating.

• Reducing carbon footprint- When solar thermal heating is used, fossil fuels are not. Solar thermal reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by your business’s operations. Solar thermal can make your business more environmentally friendly and show the public that you are doing your part to reduce your environmental impact.
  
• Complying with sustainability mandates- Today’s business owners are faced with more requirements designed to promote the use of renewable technologies in the workplace. By installing solar thermal systems, a business can make way towards meeting these requirements while making smart equipment investments which are sure to generate a high return for your money.
  

Solar thermal systems are used in a number of commercial applications. Businesses today are using solar thermal systems in the following ways:

• To provide for the workplace’s general hot water heating needs
  
• To heat swimming pools and hot tubs
  
• For radiant space heating
  

To see if solar thermal technology can benefit your business, contact Smith Sustainable Design for consultation. Our team of experts is experienced in designing and installing commercial solar thermal systems for a variety of business applications.

There are many costs associated with maintaining and running your household. Keeping your home in order can be expensive. Creating the perfect home can be even more costly. Control your home comfort with a heat pump system.

The price of energy is a major contributor to the cost of maintaining a home. Gas, oil, and electricity prices are always fluctuating, and usually not in your favor. When your home’s comfort systems depend on these fuels for operation, you are at the mercy of your utility providers and have very little control over the cost of your comfort.

Improving the efficiency of these fuel consuming systems is one way you can try to reduce energy costs. Upgrading to newer, more efficient equipment may reduce your energy bills, but is it making that big of a difference for you? These types of upgrades typically offer noticeable improvements in utility consumption, but what if you could do better?

Switching to a heat pump system can drastically reduce your household’s energy consumption, making your comfort much more affordable! Using geothermal energy, a heat pump can heat and cool your home and even heat your water, while using renewable natural energy that is free!

With heat pump systems, homeowners can achieve heating and cooling efficiencies of 400 to 600 percent. Upgrades to an energy efficient gas furnace model can only offer about 95 percent efficiency at best. Upgrading to heat pump systems can save homeowners up to 80 percent on their monthly heating and cooling expenses, which is enough to really make a difference.

Take control of your utility usage and expenses. Control your home comfort with a new heat pump system. For quality equipment, installation, and service of your new heat pump system, contact Smith Sustainable Design today.

Installing solar panels for homes is a significant investment. These systems cost several thousand dollars and take years to recover costs through energy savings because of their high price tag. If you don’t plan to stay in your home for the entirety of your payback period, should you forgo solar installation? 

The answer is no! Studies of home sales indicate that installing solar panels for homes can significantly increase resale value. If you don’t recoup the cost of installation over the amount of time you remain in the home, you will likely be able to recover a great deal thanks to a higher selling price. This benefit can make installing solar panels for your home the right choice even if you plan to move in the future.

Studies show that solar panels for homes increase the value by 3 to 4 percent. The average home has a 5 kW solar energy system, which can increase equity by about $9,000.00. Before you decide to install a solar panel system in your home, think about how long you plan on staying and then energy savings you’ll achieve during that time period. If you won’t be meeting the payback period on energy savings alone, think about how the raised resale value will benefit you come time to sell.

Not only are the systems a valuable addition to the home, they also create value. Interested buyers can be attracted to homes with solar panels because they present a higher potential for energy savings. Wouldn’t you want to move into a new home that is going to help you save for all the years you are living there?

Solar panels for homes are also attractive for buyers looking to go green. Because they limit utility use, homes with solar panels reduce pollution and greenhouse gases. Greening your home through solar panel installation not only improves resale value, but can also attract another market of buyers to your property.

Most homes in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania spend approximately 12 to 18 percent of their energy use on hot water. Whether you use electricity, natural gas, propane, or oil, there is a more affordable and efficient way to provide for all your home’s hot water needs. Solar hot water systems use free energy from the sun to heat your water!

With a solar hot water system, your home will heat hot water using natural energy that comes from the sun. Depending on the size of your solar hot water heater system, you may not require the help of a backup conventional hot water heater. Relying 100 percent on your solar hot water heater can shave 12 to 18 percent off your total energy budget each year!

Reducing your hot water demand is another way to save energy whether you’ll be installing a solar hot water system or not. Look for ways you can use less hot water around the home to further reduce your energy use.

• Take shorter showers
  
• Choose efficient water-using appliances when replacing or upgrading
  
• Lower the temperature on your conventional hot water heater
  
• Insulate your hot water storage tanks
  

Solar hot water systems differ from the solar panel systems used to produce electricity for your home. A solar collector is placed on the roof or other prime location to collect the sun’s energy for use to heat water. Insulated storage takes hold the hot water produced by the system. This equipment has come a long way since the 1970s, when it first became popular for use in America’s homes.

Solar hot water systems offer decades of service. Lifetime expectancy for these systems is 20 to 30 years! As with all your home systems, routine maintenance is necessary, but it will benefit you in the long run by helping extend system life and keep your system operating effectively.

When you choose to have a solar hot water system installed at your home, make sure you are also choosing a quality contractor to do the work. Contact Smith Sustainable Design for quality solar hot water systems and expert installation.