Earlier this year we had 20 solar panels put on our house. It's a 4.6-5 KW system and so far has covered all of our electricity usage and then some. Connecticut has a solar lease program so we are leasing the panels for 15-20 years for about $80 per month. We didn't have to pay any up front costs, and our payments won't increase so I think it was a great decision. Our electric bills before the panels went up were about $110/month. We use compact fluorescent bulbs, which makes a huge difference in energy usage. We also recently beefed up the insulation in the walls and soffits of our house and still have to do some additions to the insulation in the attic and basement. Hopefully our heating costs will go down a lot too.
Our house is heated with oil as are most of the houses in the northeast. If we had the extra money and were going to stay in this house long-term we would consider a geothermal system for heating, cooling, and hot water. Maybe someday. This house is too big for me to want to stay in it after the kids are on their own, but you never know what will happen. We'll do as much as we can for now without breaking the bank.
Other things that we do to help with energy usage include covering most of the windows with insulated shades or curtains and of course, turning lights and appliances off when not in use.
No comments:
Post a Comment