One of the chief benefits of living in San Luis Obispo County is all of those sunny days. And, if your electric bill exceeds $125 a month, then you’ve probably thought about making those sunny days work for you by delving in to the solar-powered world.

At smart72, we’re prepared to help you transition your home into a solar powerhouse – but there are a few things you can consider before you’re ready to make the plunge in order to make the best investment possible.

Know How Much Energy Your Home Currently Uses

Home energy audits help you identify how much energy your home currently uses – as well as areas where you might be able to make some adjustments. Most SLO homeowners may not even realize exactly how much energy their home is using just under their nose, and how much of it isn’t even necessary.

With a detailed look at your current blueprint, plugging up wasteful areas becomes that much easier. From there, you can install sealant to stop leaks around windows, vents, doors, pipes, and any seams around your home where your heating or air conditioning leaks out into the outside world, drastically ramping up your usage and monthly power bill.

Prior to installing solar panels to cover areas of your blueprint, it makes things easier to have a smaller blueprint to begin with. You must also take some time to do some research on the solar panel cost on the market to get the right of panel for your solar needs.

Know How Much Energy Your Home Currently Needs

Before deciding which kind of renewable energy source to invest in, it’s important to be mindful of just how much wattage your home and lifestyle currently requires. By this point, you’ve hopefully determined and cut back on energy your home wastes (see above) – that will help you select the most economic, efficient and reliable green energy plan.

Look for the Sun

This may sound obvious, but taking into account the location of your solar panels is a key part of optimization. For those of us here in the Central Coast, look to place solar panels on south-facing slopes so that they spend the most amount of time possible in front of the sun’s rays.

It may also be worth considering a smart system for your panels that will enable them to pan about for the best angle according to the sun’s position in the sky. This is certainly an additional cost, but the additional time your panels spend directly collecting solar energy will pay off in the long term. Spending investment on the right type of solar panel can also help you ensure a long term solar system.

Maintaining your Solar Panels

Taking care of your solar panels is a principal need if you’re looking to get the most out of your investment. Like with anything else, cleaning and keeping a close eye on your panels will ensure their longevity and efficiency while minimizing the risk of them giving out.

Here at smart72, we offer numerous services from the best solar panel technicians the San Luis Obispo area. In addition, we offer numerous financing plans that include free maintenance and inspection options that will make sense for your solar energy system. To learn more about Smart 72’s solar service, click here.