The following post was provided by www.RoofingWindows.net.

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We’ve all heard that solar panels are an effective green roofing technique for residential homes, but how many of us actually own them? More importantly, how many of us know what they are and how they truly function?

Solar roofing is more than glassy panels clustered on the roof for storing energy. It’s a type of photovoltaic technology that converts and stores the energy from the sun’s rays into electricity for homes and buildings. Solar panels are made from silicon, which is the same element used in mirrors and windows, though these panels utilize only pure and unrefined silicon for maximum energy conduction. 

Solar roofing works in several different ways. One is to absorb as much sunlight as possible during the day and store this energy in a large, generator-like battery that is used at night. This means that regular gas energy is still used during the day. Another way is to use solar water heating, which captures the sunlight radiation absorbed by the solar panels, and uses this energy to heat water inside a heat exchanger tank. This tank then transmits the energy to a conductor that is hooked up to electric outlets around the home. The most direct way, however, to use solar panels is via individual solar cells in specialized panels that quickly convert sunlight into electrical energy through the photon interaction with the metal contacts.

The method described above is the fastest method available, but it is also the most costly. Each panel costs, on average, $10 to $12 per watt, which can amount to a $20,000 average price tag for a standard home that functions only on solar roofing. This is not to mention changing the insulation installation that will be necessary to support the solar panels, which can cost a significant amount as well.

So are they really worth the hassle and up-front costs? Many say they are. Installing solar panels on the roof of your home can cut energy bills nearly in half, and would do a great service for the environment and its dwindling natural energy resources. Currently in the United States, 1.5 million homes use the solar water heating. This number is expected to increase as more states give homeowners better tax incentives for installing green roofing methods and the decreasing cost of residential solar panels.

Home utility stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot already offer do-it-yourself solar roofing materials and are developing expert teams to help with their installation. In a way, you can see green roofing and solar paneling as the future of home building.

Solar roofing may be expensive, and its installation can mean a lot of time and hassle, so it is best to think of it as an investment. In truth, solar paneling may best serve those who live in states with great tax incentives or for those constructing their own homes in a sunlight-rich area, but anyone with the right motive and funds can certainly reap the benefits that solar paneling has to offer.

For more information on residential roofing, commercial roofing, windows, gutters, or insulation, visit www.RoofingWindows.net.