5 Ways to use solar energy for home in your everyday life

Solar energy is the cleanest of all renewable choices, and here are some great tips & ideas for you to start living off the grid!

Switching to renewable sources of energy is more important now than it has ever been, and modern homeowners, in particular, should make the transition as soon as possible in order to minimize the carbon footprint, create a more sustainable and eco-friendlier living environment, and even make long-term financial savings. That said, running your entire household on renewable energy is not easy, particularly if you choose to go with solar energy, the cleanest of all renewable choices.

This is why you should optimize your solar use, and allocate that energy towards the most wasteful areas in your home, but also work towards home-wide solar conversion in the years to come. Whether your goal is to make parts of your home energy-efficient, or if you’re looking to go solar across the board, here are the best everyday uses for solar energy that fit the life of a true climate activist.

1. Get a solar water heater

Even some of the most developed countries, like Australia, have a big problem with water conservation. The summers are getting hotter with each passing year, and the droughts are becoming so unbearable that folks in the countryside are becoming desperate, while the people in the cities are starting to experience the dread of water shortages as well. 

Needless to say, you need to become more mindful about your water consumption on a daily basis in order to cut extraneous water spending throughout the year. But other than that, you also need to be mindful of the way you heat up all of that water.

Electric and gas heaters have been in use for decades, but they can be extremely costly to maintain and they consume vast amounts of energy for thermal accumulation and regulation. This is why investing in a solar water heater (either active or passive) can be a cost-effective solution if your goal is to improve heating efficiency, save money, and prolong the lifespan of the system.

Don’t forget that some customers are eligible for solar tax rebates or other incentives to help offset the costs of installation and operation of the system.

2. Heat up your entire home

Provided that you are serious about making the transition to solar energy across the board, you can choose to invest in a home-wide solar heating system. Again, this might seem like a sizable investment, but remember that the goal is to create a more sustainable living environment, minimize your contribution to climate change, and make financial savings over several decades. In short, this is a long-term commitment that pays off in numerous ways.

You can choose to heat up your home using solar energy in one of two ways: using a hot water solar system, or a hot air solar system. You can use the former to replace your solar water heater and bring warm water to your faucets, while the latter can be used to eliminate the need for standalone heating devices. 

Solar water systems are not often used in the residential realm due to the cumbersome financial investment, but if you have the resources, you can use it to heat up your entire home efficiently.

3. Power your home with photo-electric 

Of course, a solar heating system does not provide electrical power to your home, which means that it’s just supplemental to your main power supply, which is typically the municipal power grid. 

If your goal is to go solar across the board and one day disconnects your home from the municipal power grid, though, then you should install a solar inverter that will convert the DC current collected by the solar panels to AC power, which you will use to power your home as a whole. 

The inverter will act as a converter and a power storage unit that will allow you to conserve energy and power your home for extended periods of time even if your solar system is out of order. However, the biggest benefit of a solar inverter is that has zero-carbon emissions, making it a truly sustainable way to create an energy-efficient home. 

Simple DIY solutions to create an energy-efficient home

4. Use solar power for outdoor living

Modern homeowners spend a lot of time enjoying their outdoor living areas, and rightfully so, because who doesn’t want to bask in the beautiful June sun. Just be sure to wear your sunscreen and to limit your exposure during the day. 

When the evening comes, though, you need a way to power your outdoor living environment, particularly the lighting. Instead of running wires all over the place, you can simply invest in solar-powered landscape lighting with rechargeable batteries that require no wiring connections but can last you all through the night.

5. Use solar in the most wasteful areas

And finally, you can always choose to introduce solar energy in select areas around the house only if you don’t want to commit to long-term investment, or if you want to make a gradual transition to the home-wide energy efficiency of your solar home. 

So naturally, start by introducing solar power into the most wasteful areas of your home, like the kitchen or the laundry room. Even such a small change can make a big difference over the long term, and help you minimize your impact on the environment while helping you save money throughout the year.

Top 7 tips for home improvements to save money & the environment

At this point, there isn’t a country in the world that struggles with climate change and the problem of increasingly-deteriorating natural resources. The strain we are putting on the environment to power our way of life is simply not sustainable over the long term, which is why you need to turn your focus to the most abundant source of clean energy – our Sun.