The fun and easy way to take advantage of this clean power source

Soaring energy prices and calls from across the political spectrum to decrease dependence on foreign oil have driven consumer interest in solar energy into the stratosphere. Solar Power Your Home For Dummies takes the mystery out of this energy source, showing readers how to make solar energy work for them. Whether readers want to add a small solar component to provide a modest contribution to their home energy needs, build a new home powered by solar panels, or do anything in between, this title has them covered. It presents must-know information on the types of solar panels and technology that are available for the average home, as well as the benefits-both environmental and economical-of using solar energy.

This is the fun and easy way to take advantage of this clean power source. Soaring energy prices and calls from across the political spectrum to decrease dependence on foreign oil have driven consumer interest in solar energy into the stratosphere. Solar Power Your Home For Dummies takes the mystery out of this energy source, showing readers how to make solar energy work for them. Whether readers want to add a small solar component to provide a modest contribution to their home energy needs, build a new home powered by solar panels, or do anything in between, this title has them covered. It presents must know information on the types of solar panels and technology that are available for the average home, as well as the benefits both environmental and economical of using solar energy.

• Introduction.Part I: Playing the Energy Game.Chapter 1: Helping the World through Solar Power.Chapter 2: Surveying Your Household Energy Efficiency and Use.Chapter 3: Making Your Home Energy Efficient.Part II: Understanding Solar - Just the Facts, Ma'am.Chapter 4: Working with Solar Basics.Chapter 5: Evaluating Your Solar Potential.Chapter 6: Calculating Payback on Your Solar Investment.Chapter 7: Installing Your Solar System.Part III: Doing It Yourself: Smalland Medium-Sized Projects.Chapter 8: Digging In to Landscape Projects.Chapter 9: Jumping In to Small Projects with Big Results.Chapter 10: Heating and Purifying Water.Chapter 11: Diving In to Swimming Pool Projects.Chapter 12: Supplementing Your Domestic Water Heater.Chapter 13: Breezeway: Directing Wind within Your House.Chapter 14: Solar Pumps, Wind Power, Hydro Power, and Batteries in Applications.Part IV: Home Solar Projects: Getting a Little Help from Your Friends.Chapter 15: Deciding between Doing It Yourself and Contracting.Chapter 16: Glass Houses (and Plastic, Too): Greenhouses and Sunrooms.Chapter 17: Plugging In to the Grid with a Full-Scale PV System.Chapter 18: Divorcing the Grid: Going Solo with Solar Power Systems.Part V: Buying, Selling, and Building a Solar Home.Chapter 19: Building a Solar Home from the Ground Up.Chapter 20: Buying and Selling a Solar Home.Part VI: Finding the Moolah to Do the Job.Chapter 21: Subsidizing Your Solar Projects with Other People's Money.Chapter 22: Financing Your Solar Investments.Part VII: The Part of Tens.Chapter 23: Ten Best Solar Investments.Chapter 24: Ten or So Best Do-It-Yourself Projects.Chapter 25: Ten Cheap Solar Projects and Devices.Chapter 26: Ten or So Worst Solar Mistakes.Index.