How Does Having Solar Power Affect Home Value?
I would assume this would increase the value of a home. But who knows? Is it possible a future homeowner could see this as a negative?
I would assume this would increase the value of a home. But who knows? Is it possible a future homeowner could see this as a negative?
Pig, I would be happy to do so. Please e-mail me with your contact info.
I am:
solar at nycsolar dot org
-SteamMan
Steam,
Could you give a ballpark estimate for equipment and instalation for an appropriate solar system for a three story one family with three baths? Also, how much area of the roof would be dedicated to the equipment?
@bohuma
As a certified installer of solar thermal systems, I have to respectfully comment on your post.
Today’s reputable solar collector manufacturers utilize better materials than 30 years ago (when solar was popular in years gone by). Given average rainfall in the New York area, decrease in solar irradiance is negligible due to soot buildup.
Also, a knowledgeable solar installer will factor snow accumulation into the determination of proper tilt angle so this doesn’t become much of a factor either.
In any case, we offer a very comprehensive yearly maintenance/service plan for all systems.
-SteamMan
steve at nycsolar dot org
Solar hot water heaters were popular in Florida in years gone by, but the maintenance was a pain, so people changed to natural gas or electric. The main problem, particularly in a place like New York, is having to wash the solar panels at least once a month to clean the accumulated soot off. The efficiency drops as the glass gets covered in crud. If you were going to put solar on the roof, add a hose bib for washing them, and make sure your roof is reasonably accessible. In winter, they may well be covered by snow for weeks at a time, unless you get up there and clean off the snow. It will also be harder to clean the panels in winter, but they’ll still get soot on them.
There are tax abatement values which will save you on real estate tax. Regarding general maintenance these systems are unfortunately expensive and not as common so some maintenance expenses are still higher until it will get to be the norm.
I guess if I were a buyer I would wonder about maintenance. Is this another system that could need repair? If so, that could be a problem, since I imagine not many people out there would be prepared to fix it. Sort of like buying a Jag… but I have no idea how solar power works within the house.