Many people are now waking up to the call of renewable energy as an alternative to oil which is not only harmful to our mother earth but costly. Among the most commonly alternative sources of energy is solar energy. Solar panels are already popular with most of the people. They are normally fitted on the roofs to tap solar rays which are then converted to electric energy. The latest technology which uses the same analogy is solar roofing shingles.
Solar roofing shingles are roofing materials made of photovoltaic cells that are able to take in solar energy from the sun. Just like the solar panels, the rays are converted into electric energy and stored into backups. The electric energy can then be used for residential as well as commercial requirements. Solar shingles are laid on the house roof just like the sheets or tiles, not only to shield your roof but also supplying you with electricity to power your home.
Photovoltaic technology unlike most power - generating technologies is friendly to the environment. The shingles are coated with thin film to absorb sun's rays without causing environmental pollution, no noise and require no fuel to run them other than the sun. Solar shingles can save you more than 60% of your monthly power costs.
There are a number of benefits that come with solar shingles. They give you the same durability, protection and flexibility as asphalt shingles. When it comes to their outlook appearance, they are attractive. They are made to conform to the standard roof for the normal house constructions. They come in a variety of shades giving you an option to choose your favorite. In fact, many people like the aesthetic beauty that they provide to the house roof. With solar roof shingles, you don't have to worry about roofing materials as they provide perfect roofing shingles. Solar shingles are light in weight and the cost of Installations is normally low.
Before fixing solar shingles on your house roof, there are a number of things you need to put into considerations. First, you need to ask yourself if you really need them. Most certainly, you do. You can fix them either on a new house that had not been roofed or you can replace existing roof with the solar shingles as a source of electricity for your house. In either case, the shingles need to be fixed carefully. They should be fixed on the sides that receive sunlight most and areas that are free from shades. Depending on your energy requirements as well as financial ability, the whole roof or part of it can be roofed with solar shingles.
Many governments are advocating for the use of renewable energy sources. As a result, they have subsidized solar energy equipments to encourage more people to turn to this alternative source of energy which is eco friendly as opposed to the oil-based energy sources. You need to check out with the relevant authorities and see if such grants are available in your area.
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