Now more than ever people are exploring options to convert their home into an environmentally conscious household. As air pollution becomes increasingly concerning and budgets become increasingly tighter, solar panels provide a simple solution to lower electricity bills and help the environment simultaneously. Here at Mister Sparky, we are well educated on the pros and cons of solar panel installation, and many other ways you can live an energy-conserving lifestyle.

What are Solar Panels?

A solar panel is a panel consisting of cells that convert sunlight into electricity. The most powerful source of light available from our planet is the Sun, known as “Sol” by astronomers. As more sunlight reaches the panels, more electricity is generated. Once the energy is converted, there are multiple uses in your home, including:

  • Water heaters
  • Outdoor lighting
  • Cooking
  • Ventilation fans
  • Swimming pools
  • House-wide power

Pros of Solar Panels

If you are searching for energy independence and lower utility bills, solar panels are the perfect addition to your home. There are multiple advantages to using solar panels:

  • Low maintenance: The only care solar panels need is a bi-yearly cleaning.
  • Reduced electricity bills: The more energy your solar panels produce, the cheaper your energy bills will be. Depending on the city you live in, you might even be qualified to receive payments for surplus energy exported back to the grid from your residency to be used by other entities.
  • A renewable energy source: All you need is the sun.
  • Opportunity: There are countless applications for solar energy to be used to power your home.

Cons of Solar Panels:

No matter what a decision entails, there will always be a few negatives to consider. Some disadvantages include:

  • Weather dependency: If your home doesn’t have sun exposure, your solar panels will not create energy. Luckily for Texas residents, sunlight is a reliable source.
  • Initial investment: There can be relatively steep initial costs in installing solar panels, but the ROI consistently outweighs these costs.
  • Space requirement: Solar panels can take up lots of roof space depending on the amount of energy you need.. There are also “hybrid” power options that depend only partially on solar energy and therefore require much fewer solar panels.