First Things First
BY RICHARD A. FLOREY
Marketing Director
EcoVantage Energy, inc.
www./ecovantageenergy.com
Ready, Set, Plunge!
For you homeowners who have decided to take
the plunge into energy savings and are looking
to add solar or battery backup or both; there’s
something we at EcoVantage Solar highly
recommend you do beforehand: Prepare your
home for energy efficiency.
A thorough energy audit
of most homes reveals
the need for extra attic
insulation, modern
efficient widows, LED
lighting, a programmable
thermostat, an energy
efficient water heater (as
much as 25% of your
electric use is heating
water), new door and window seals and a selfcheck on your own power consuming habits.
That sounds like a lot, and it is. However, going
solar is a lifestyle change, not just a power
change.
will be needed to cover it. The upside to reducing your usage
will also reduce the number of panels needed. This step is also
critical for knowing how many batteries you’ll need if you decide
to go with a backup system as well. A total win, win.
Aesthetically More Pleasing
Now think about this; with today’s 300+ watt solar panels and a
reduced load, there will be fewer panels on your roof. That will
please your HOA, as that can be a sticky situation with them.
In Texas, an HOA cannot stand in your way if you want to add
solar, but they may have a say in how it looks aesthetically.
Not Just Lowering Costs.
The purpose of going with LED lights, better
insulation and all this, is not about lowering your
overall electric bill, which it would, it’s about
lowering the overall wattage load in the house
so that your solar system can cover it. The
point of which is why many people chose to go
solar in the first place; nullifying their evening
electrical use, otherwise known as Net Zero.
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
When a customer calls up and wants to get an
estimate on solar, the first thing we do is look
at their bill to see what are their peak months
are and get an overall idea of how much solar
Just for grins, take a wattage survey of your home of just the
lighting. Seeing how much you could save using a 20 watt
LED bulb vs a 100 watt regular bulb down on paper is very eye
opening and motivating. It’s true that doing all this prep work
can be initially expensive, but you know how to budget and get
it done, right? Besides, how does one eat an entire elephant?
One bite at a time.
NOVEMBER 2016
Eating the Elephant
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