Category Archives: energy retrofitting

UCSD and UCLA report Up To 4% Increase In Value for Solar Panels.

According to a report by UCSD and UCLA,  solar power fetches an even higher premium in neighborhoods with a greater share of college graduates or registered Pruis hybrid vehicles.

Read the study at: http://www.uce3.berkeley.edu/WP_001.pdf

That is good news but how do you determine value for your home?  It is a complicated process for an appraiser to determine value for a solar powered home and each home is unique.  First step for the homeowner is to have at least 12 months of utility bills.  preferably 12 months before the installation of the panels and 12 months after the installation.  If you do not have the bills you can order them from your local utility office or if you just can’t get the bills don’t dispair, an appraiser has many tools to determine value and that is why it is important you contact an appraiser that specializes in energy efficiency.

If you have questions you can contact the professionals at Southern California Appraisal Services; they specialize in green properties and energy retrofits. www.socalappraisalserv.com

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Google Earth Helps to Easily Determine the Optimum Tilt for Solar Panel Placement

Using the Google Earth file, one can easily determine the optimum tilt and azimuth angles for any site in California, as well as the average annual increase in radiation at the optimum tilt and azimuth versus horizontally flat.

Read more about it at: http://solar.ucsd.edu/

Experts Offer Tips on Cutting Back On Energy Usage During Heat Wave

With most of the country experiencing warm weather and some parts having temps in the triple digits how can a homeowner cut back on energy usage and still be comfortable? It could be as easy as
buying an Energy Star-rated programmable thermostat for as little as $25.

Ronnie Kweller, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy in Washington said “When the house is empty, the thermostat could be turned up and set to have the temperature drop to more comfortable levels by the time you arrive home.” Just doing that can cut energy expenses by 10 percent.

Other fairly easy ways to cool include replacing air-conditioning filters regularly (watch a video on how to change your home air filter at: http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Change-a-Home-Air-Filter-33284690 )as recommended by the manufacturer; closing blinds, curtains and shades on the sunny side of the house, and using energy-efficient lights that don’t produce a lot of heat — or just shutting off the lights when you leave a room.

To get more tips read the full article at: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/26/2282886/save-energy-and-stay-cool-this.html

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