Solar Power Your Home For Dummies

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From the Back Cover ------------------- A new edition of the best–selling guide to solar power Want solar power in your home? Whether you′re looking to save on energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar–powered house from the ground up, this friendly guide takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you! Plus, you′ll get all the latest updates on changes to federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and tax incentives that make solar–power adoption more feasible. Understanding why solar is king find out how you can put solar power to use to reap financial rewards, lessen your carbon footprint, and gain independence from fossil fuels Here comes the sun learn to evaluate your solar potential, plot your sun charts, calculate payback on your investment, and install your solar system Practical applications get easy–to–follow information on how to use solar energy in a variety of projects inside and outside your home Exploring full–scale photovoltaic systems discover the benefits of powering your home with a PV system, understand how the system works, and find out how to install one Building, retrofitting, and selling get practical guidance on building a solar–powered home from the ground up, installing solar in an existing home, and selling your solar home Open the book and find: * Tips on surveying your household energy efficiency and use * Ways to evaluate your solar potential * Small– and medium–sized DIY projects * Advice on analyzing solar investments * An introduction to building codes and regulations * Ways to take advantage of your lot′s features * Information on installing PV systems * The ten best solar investments About the Author ---------------- Rik Dether is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy auditing and consulting firm. He holds a BS in Engineering Physics and dual Masters degrees in Applied Physics and Engineering Economic Systems. Rik is also the author of Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies and Alternative Energy For Dummies.