The increase in climate anxiety is a significant concern for many people. With global warming posing an imminent threat to the environment and public health, tackling issues such as climate change can be highly stressful. Follow these tips from the solar panel experts at Suntex to help relieve both stress and environmental strain.

Use Your Bicycle More and Car Less

Anxiety and depression are common conditions, and the threat of climate change can increase these feelings. Regular fitness is an excellent way to relieve anxiety.

One way to reduce your carbon footprint while also getting some exercise is to use your bicycle more often and drive your car less. This can be a great way to reduce stress while also helping the environment.

If you live in an area with favorable weather, try riding your bike to work or when running errands instead of driving. It’s a simple step to reduce emissions and give you some much-needed time outdoors.

Support Eco-Friendly Businesses

Another way to help reduce your impact on the environment is to support eco-friendly businesses. This includes companies that use sustainable practices, such as using recycled materials or renewable energy. Patronizing these businesses can help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while also contributing to a more sustainable economy.

Start Your Own Sustainable Business

You can also start an environmentally friendly company to help do your part in saving the planet. This can be a great way to create a positive impact while also improving your financial wellness. To begin, develop a business plan that details your product or service and how you plan to fund and operate the business.

You’ll also need to develop strategies to market your business. Once you have a plan, start looking for investors or partners who share your vision. It’s important to have business cards to hand out while you are networking and gaining support for your endeavor. You can try this free online business card design tool to create something you’ll love for a fraction of the amount you’d spend working with a designer. Just choose a template you like, add your information, and you’re ready to start networking!

If you’re starting a business, you need to get paid on time. Work out an invoicing process that ensures you get paid promptly. This could include giving your customers multiple payment options, keeping billing terms easy to understand, and politely following up on late payments. You can create invoices that incorporate your brand with an online invoice generator. After choosing a template, add your terms, color scheme, and company logo.

Reduce Home Energy Use

One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce your home energy use. There are various steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption. Unplugging appliances when they aren’t in use, using energy-efficient appliances, investing in LED light bulbs, and insulating your home are excellent ways to reduce energy use.

You can also choose to use more eco-friendly cleaning products instead of supporting companies that produce toxic products through not-so-green methods. Plus, many of these natural options are much less expensive, too. Consider the cost of baking soda and vinegar compared to brand name cleaning products. Plus, these cheaper alternatives will last longer!

Recycle

Recycling is another great way to make a positive impact. By recycling household items such as plastic, paper, and glass, you can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve resources. You can also compost food waste to reduce methane emissions. Recycling can save you money as well. Many municipalities offer perks for households that recycle.

Plant Trees

Trees are a great way to help offset carbon emissions and improve air quality, explains the World Economic Forum. They also provide shade and beauty to your home or business. If you have the space, consider planting a tree in your yard. If you don’t have a yard, consider donating to organizations that plant trees in deforested areas.

Support Eco-Friendly Legislation

One way to help fight climate change is to support eco-friendly legislation. This can include voting for candidates who support green policies, signing petitions, and contacting your representatives about critical environmental issues. It may also reduce anxiety about climate change to know you’re contributing to something positive.

Look for initiatives that support residential solar adoption. Many states have adopted these programs to make solar an affordable option for homeowners. Texas has some solar incentives in place, so work with a local company like Suntex whose employees will know what sorts of discounts and rebates are available to you.

Relieve Climate Stress Through Positive Change

Fighting climate change can be a source of stress for many people. However, there are ways to reduce anxiety and stress related to climate change. Whether you’re planting more trees, adding solar to your home, or starting your own eco-friendly business, you can start making positive changes right now with just a little planning and perseverance!

 

Note: This article was written for SUNTEX by guest writer Emma Grace Brown. Please reach out directly to SUNTEX if you have any questions regarding this article, or the blog post content.

What is Solar Energy?

Solar Energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture, according to Wikipedia.

It is an essential source of renewable energy, and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power, and solar water heating to harness the energy.

Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity (Solar energy – Wikipedia).

Solar energy, also known as solar power, is a clean and renewable source  that comes from the sun energy It’s considered to be a clean and renewable source of power because the sun can produce an infinite amount of it, and it doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like fossil fuels do.

Technology is used to convert sunlight into electricity. The energy can be converted to heat, light, or electricity and used in many ways like powering homes, businesses, and even cars.

How Does Solar Energy Work?

The sun is the primary source of energy for earth, and it has been for billions of years. Solar panels are a way to harness this energy and turn it into usable power. Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic cells that capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity.

The electricity they produce can be used to power anything from a cell phone to an entire home, or even an entire city. The amount of electricity produced by a solar panel depends on how much sunlight is hitting it at any given time, as well as how well it’s designed.

A solar panel in New York will produce more electricity than one in Florida because Florida gets less sunlight than New York does. The best panels are those that are designed to receive the most amount of sunlight possible.

A solar panel has several different components, but they all work together to create power. A solar panel is made up of two basic parts: cells and wiring. Cells are what capture the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity, while wiring is how this electricity gets sent out of the system.

How Does Solar Power Benefit the Environment?

The more I learn about the benefits of solar energy the more I understand its implications. Many systems use solar energy, and as energy prices rise and fossil fuel reserves run out, solar energy is becoming more and more efficient.

Homeowners can add savings by switching to solar each month. Even as an alternative to energy produced by fossil fuels, solar energy offers many environmental benefits. Solar power not only saves you money on your electricity bill, but it also helps you make a positive change in the natural world around you.

The traditional source of electricity was the fireplace. Large amounts of coal are burned to fuel our homes and cities contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. We breathe this air, and it is also a major contributor to climate change with potentially dire consequences for all of us.

The carbon released into the atmosphere when coal and gas are burned contributes to local and global pollution. On the other hand, solar energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, owning a solar-powered home saves you from burning over 5000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

This equates to planting over 150 trees each year. Imagine thousands of people switching to solar energy! It all starts with each of us doing our part. Transitioning to solar is something you can do today. It’s healthier air to breathe because it emits fewer greenhouse gases each year and less dirt for all of us to breathe.

As urban populations grow, we need to reduce pollutant emissions for our health and the health of the planet.

Another advantage of solar energy is the precious water resource in the environment. In addition to serving as an alternative to hydroelectric power, solar energy uses far less water than other energy sources. Coal, natural gas, and other conventional energy sources require large amounts of water to operate.

Harnessing solar energy can also keep rivers and bodies of water clean when water needs are at their peak. Other energy sources often pollute surrounding streams and lakes. This can have serious long-term consequences for the ecosystems that depend on it.

Using solar energy in your home also helps reduce air pollution from cars. At least the car is moving away from you. Whether you want to drive an electric car now or own a home in the future, you can offset the pollution caused by fossil fuels. By powering your home with solar panels, you can change using electricity from coal and other polluting sources.

With solar power installed in your home you won’t have to worry about your utility bills rising. Even in the industry you can make a lot of money. You can feel more confident while doing something positive for the world around you.

Solar power has a lot of benefits for the environment: it doesn’t produce any greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution, it doesn’t require burning fossil fuels, it doesn’t produce radioactive waste or nuclear waste and it reduces our dependency on fossil fuel imports from unstable regions in the world. It’s clean, green, and sustainable.

In order to use solar power, you need to make sure that you have a place for the photovoltaic cells. The panels generate energy when exposed to sunlight, so they should be in an area with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. You can also buy solar-powered streetlights or solar lighting for your home.

Can we Solve Climate Change with More Solar Panels?

Climate change is a sad reality and is changing the world as we know it. Its effects are seen all over the world in extreme weather conditions wreaking havoc on the environment, economy, and society. Climate change is part of the human experience and will continue for years to come.

We must solve climate change by investing in renewable energy. The problem is that it’s not happening fast enough, and the world is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) renewable energy, and in particular power generation, has entered a virtuous cycle of falling costs, increasing deployment, and accelerated technological progress, up-to-date data on costs has become a critical for policy makers, business, researchers, and others. Solar PV module prices have fallen by around 90% since the end of 2009, while wind turbine prices have fallen by 49-78% since 2010 making renewable energy cost competitive (Power generation costs (irena.org).

Conclusion: The Future of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is the future. It is not just because of environmental concerns, but also because it is the most cost-effective source of energy. It is only a matter of time before we see renewable energy as a mainstream form of power generation.

Contact Suntex LLC today to find out how to add solar power to your home. We will work with you to determine how much energy you need and design the right system for your home and your energy needs.

The good news is: the future of renewable energy looks bright.

 

Note: This article was written for SUNTEX by Energy Consultant, Verna Badenhorst. Please reach out directly to SUNTEX if you have any questions regarding this article, or the blog post content. If you would like to learn more about the work Verna is doing, feel free to check out her Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087851139652 

Now, more than ever, our world is being impacted by climate related mega disasters, due to extreme climate change. We as a whole, need to act quickly to lessen our carbon footprint to save the planet, otherwise there will be dire consequences.

Over the past two weeks, five areas across the United States alone, have experienced flooding that happens once every thousand years. Areas in Dallas, St. Louis, eastern Kentucky, Mississippi and southeastern Illinois have been inundated with historic levels of rainfall. According to the Washington Post, this amount of rainfall usually has a .1 percent chance of happening in any given year; it has happened in five different areas in less than two weeks!

This type of flooding and other massive natural disasters is not uncommon for people to experience anymore. Natural disasters have been gradually getting worse while becoming more frequent as global temperatures continue to rise, in fact the United States experiences the highest number of natural disasters every year.

To reduce the number of natural disasters and lessen their impacts, we need to balance the carbon equation. Per the Paris Agreement, the United States has pledged to eliminate its emissions and work towards capping the global temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius by the year 2050 before climate change turns calamitous. If we fail to reach this goal the natural disasters happening around the world will be amplified to biblical proportions.

There’s good news though, we as consumers and businesses can help to reach this goal! It will require radical and rapid changes across the entire American economy, but by working together to reduce our ecological footprint we hold the keys necessary to counteract climate change.

According to Seth Godin, best-selling author of The Carbon Almanac, states that “it’s not too late.”  He believes we can start to solve the problem of reducing our carbon footprint with businesses leading the charge in sustainability and ecological innovation and technologies. With businesses spearheading this revolution, consumers will start to follow suite until it’s a normal idea to support companies that are backing green initiatives.

Building businesses that create more demand for carbon-zero products or services is not something that can be accomplished overnight, but there are ways you and your company can quickly take steps in the direction of reducing your carbon footprint. By supporting sustainable causes and ideas, we can all start building a sustainable and hopeful future.

In today’s blog post, we are going to look at the first two ways you and your company can start reducing your carbon footprint!

1. Buying Electric Vehicles

Our first way to help shrink your ecological footprint is to look into switching fleet vehicles your company currently uses from gas to electric, especially if those vehicles put on a lot of miles in a year.

Transportation is a growing source of global greenhouse emissions that is helping drive climate change. A PBS article on global warming states that, “in 2019, 23% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions came from transportation and contributed to 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.”

Not only can switching to electric vehicles cut emissions by 60% over fossil fuel vehicles, but they can also save an average of 1.5 million grams of carbon dioxide! Since electric vehicles do not have tailpipes, they emit nothing when operating, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, most models can go more than 200 miles on a fully charged battery.

In other great news, EV batteries can now be recycled! The Department of Energy (DOE) recently launched the first lithium-ion battery recycling center, The ReCell Center, in hopes of creating a profitable method to improve recycling rates and reduce the reliance on supplies from foreign countries. Recycling EV batteries reduces the production costs by 10 to 30% along with reducing emissions, waste, and the need for new materials.

Outside of government incentives that lower the price of purchasing electric vehicles, they also have a lower operating cost. The DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center states that “the operation and maintenance costs of EV’s averages about 3 cents per mile and they achieve their best fuel economy during stop-and-go driving conditions.”

While some companies don’t need a fleet of vehicles; the ones that do have fleet vehicles should take consideration into moving the company fleet to electric. There are a wide range of electric vehicle options available from your typical run of the mill electric vehicle to off-road EVs, forklifts, mowers, tractors, school buses, and public transit.

If we work towards transforming how we fuel our transportation needs, electric vehicles could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions anywhere from 80 to 90% of current levels by 2050!

2. Installing Solar Panels

The second way to reduce your carbon footprint is to harness the suns energy by installing solar panels. What’s cool about solar energy is that it’s completely renewable and one of the cleanest sources of energy out there.

The best part about shrinking your carbon footprint with solar energy is the reduction for demand of fossil fuels and less greenhouse gas emissions are produced. By going solar, users can eliminate the same amount of carbon emissions that would result from burning over 5,000 pounds of coal each year.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) also found that widespread adoption of solar energy can significantly reduce nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter emissions.

Solar energy is becoming one of the fastest growing sources of sustainable energy. According to the International Energy Agency, “solar and wind energy account for almost 10% of total electricity generation.” The U.S. is now the third largest market in the world for solar energy. 23.6 gigawatts of solar were installed in the U.S. in 2021. The United States receives so much solar energy that an array of solar panels in the Mojave Desert could generate a year’s worth of our energy needs in a single day.

In fact, solar power will account for almost half of United States’ new electricity generation this year. At the beginning of 2022, The U.S. Energy Information Administration expected solar generating capacity to grow by 21.5 gigawatts, which would surpass last year’s 15.5 gigawatts of solar capacity additions, with many of these additions in Texas (6.1 gigawatts, or 28% of the national total).

Not only is solar energy great for the environment, but it’s beneficial to its users too! Solar energy is the most affordable source of energy in the world and the coast of solar panels has dropped by 80% since 2008. In December 2016, the cost of building and installing new solar electricity generation dropped to $1.65 per watt; it’s renewable counterpart—wind—was $1.66/watt.

Aside from solar energy being extremely affordable, there are also incentives to switch to solar power. Users can receive 30% system costs back from equipment and installation as a federal income tax credit, along with receiving Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) by selling any excess energy produced to utility companies.

In order to reach our goal in 2050 set out by the Paris Agreement, almost 90% of global electricity generation needs to come from renewable sources, with solar PV and wind together accounting for nearly 70%.

 

Now that we’ve covered the first two ways you and your company can decrease your ecological impact, come back Saturday for the second portion of this post! I’ll be detailing three and four in how to quickly reduce your company’s carbon footprint!

 

Note: This article was written for SUNTEX by guest writer, Kari Norvell. Please reach out to SUNTEX directly if you have any questions regarding this article, or the blog post content.

It may not be surprising to you that when the sun is further away from the earth, ie during the fall and winter months in the northern hemisphere (Nov-Feb), less sunlight reaches the earth’s surface.

So, it would stand to reason that less sunlight is hitting your roof-top during this time-frame than the remainder of the year.

In today’s blog post we’ll explore this phenomenon in more detail, as well as some of the myths about producing solar energy in the winter, as well as a couple of reasons why you might still want to make the purchase anyway, to take advantage all year long of energy savings.

Myths 

• “Solar panels do not produce energy in the winter.”

False. In fact, solar panels produce on average produce 35% of their overall annual energy production in Texas during the winter time (“On average, 65% of our local solar system’s annual energy output is generated between March 21st and September 21st of each year. The other half of the year, between September 21st and March 21st, accounts for the other 35% of annual solar output.” https://www.lighthousesolarny.com/blog/2017/february/the-seasonality-of-solar-energy-production/).

During the winter storm in February of 2021, Texans learned first-hand just how helpful solar panels can be in an emergency winter storm – check out the following article from Pecan Street’s Chief Technology Officer, Scott Hinson, here: https://www.pecanstreet.org/2021/02/solarstorm/.

• “Solar panels are less efficient in the winter, because of rain and snow.”

This one is partially true, if you live in Seattle or Greenbay, where rain and snow in the winter time should come as no surprise at all. However in Texas, with average rainfall reaching 27.25″ (https://learn.weatherstem.com/modules/learn/lessons/182/19.html#:~:text=The%20average%20annual%20rainfall%20for,climatic%20regions%20of%20the%20state), and average snowfall typically in the ‘none’ range, it’s safe to say that your solar panels will absorb energy as efficiently in the summer months, if the distance of the sun were negligible.

• “The further distance of the sun during the winter months means that your panels will produce less energy than they would in the summer months.”

True, but only if you live in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere the sun is actually closer to the earth, and therefore would produce more solar energy in what American’s would think of as “winter time,” and if you don’t believe me, just check out the following link which explains this exact phenomenon: https://solarcalculator.com.au/solar-panel-orientation/.

Motivators

Even if you live in the northern hemisphere, where solar production may dip in the winter months, you’re still likely to produce some extra energy – as we saw in myth buster #1.

Additionally, if you were to perhaps accompany your solar system with back-up battery power and/or a generator, you could also keep your heat on should say a winter storm hit and take down the energy grid in your neighborhood for 4-5 days. This is a huge incentive to start looking into solar power generation from your home, because outside of a zombie-apocalypse occurring, you’ll want to start preparing to save money and keep your home well insulated against the negative effects of climate change as well, and having solar energy & energy storage could make a difference if the grid in your area is shut off.

However, if you’re not interested in saving money, or want to save money and carbon emissions in the most effective way possible, going green has really never been easier with solar! Harvesting energy from the sun is renewable and there is a lot of sun to go around, however unlike geothermal heaters or wind turbines, the set up for rooftop solar is fairly simple, and will only require a few months of planning and execution before you’re able to enjoy energy credits on your utility bill from your solar production.

Finally this brings us to the #1 motivator to go solar: Net Metering. If you don’t know what this is, we’ve discussed it on earlier blogs so be sure to check those out (here: https://suntexllc.com/energy-components-electrical-components-smart-meters-net-metering-and-data-monitoring-what-do-they-all-have-in-common/, and https://suntexllc.com/electrical-components-smart-meters-net-metering-and-data-monitoring-what-do-they-all-have-in-common-part-2-of-2/ – to reference just a couple, feel free to uncover more using the search feature).

Net metering is the icing on top of the solar cake that makes this technology feasible in modern every-day life. Net metering works exactly how it sounds: your meter is typically upgraded to a smart meter so that you’re able to measure not only energy consumption, but energy production as well. Therefore, when your solar array produces energy to send to the grid, your utility company can then take the “net” or difference between what energy was consumed and what energy was produced and apply energy production credits to your utility bill. These credits are applied to your energy bill each month and deducted (in simple terms) from your total energy bill, thus making your energy cost more affordable.

So, if emergency planning, saving money, reducing carbon emissions and gaining energy credits on your utility bill haven’t convinced you yet of the benefits of solar, I’m not sure anything will, but feel free to share some additional comments in the section below, and hopefully we can help get those myths busted, and those panels installed!

The winter months bring with them a lot of things. They bring holidays, times of togetherness, and cold temperatures. Along with those things often come some skyrocketing energy bills. Not only does it cost more to keep a home or living space comfortable as the temperature plummets outside, but there are other considerations, as well. The holiday months tend to involve quite a lot of social gatherings, which can also have their own energy-bill-related consequences.

The good news is that many of us experience higher energy bills during the winter because we don’t know how to avoid them. In reality, there are a handful of easy strategies that can help you keep your bill as manageable as it is in the balmy summer sun. Below, SUNTEX explores some ideas you should consider.

Move to a Different Place

This may seem like an extreme measure, but sometimes you may not have a choice. For example, if you live in a poorly insulated apartment and you’re having to pay a high electric bill each month, it might be worth your while to move. Fortunately, there are hundreds of apartments available in Forth Worth, all of which can be searched depending on your budget and the neighborhood that interests you.

Weatherproof and Seal All of Your Windows

The windows are a major source of energy leakage in the house, both literally and metaphorically. They can be hotspots for cracks and intrusions that let in cold air and let out the warm air. The glass in your windows can also be letting out warmth, causing you to need to heat your home when you should not have to.

Try adding a weatherproof film to your windows for higher energy efficiency. This can help them to retain more heat, allowing you to run the heater left often. It’s also smart to do a leak test and run the caulking gun around each of your windows, guaranteeing that they’re nice and tightly sealed against the colder weather. When it comes to keeping warm air in, every little bit helps you avoid running that heater.

Use Solar Panels to Help with Energy Costs

Solar panels are an excellent way to help reduce your money energy bills during those cooler months. Although solar panels can’t help reduce your gas bill, if that’s what you use to keep your home toasty all winter, they can still power everything else, from your electronics to your appliances. If you’ve always wanted to get solar panels for your home but had no idea where to start, get in touch with the pros at SunTex. Our high-quality products and superior services can get you going in no time.

Do a Draft Test

Windows aren’t the only intrusion point for air into the home. Drafts and cracks can form just about anywhere, so do a visual check of your home, both inside and out. Check places like corners, and joints (any place where two materials meet). Look closely at things like baseboards, electrical outlets, door frames, vents, and so forth.

Hiring a professional to do something called a “blower door test” is another great way to find small air leaks into your home. This is a process by which your home will be depressurized on the inside, letting an expert go from room to room, finding tiny cracks and leaks that might not otherwise be visible.

Watch Out for the Bathroom Fan

Believe it or not, your bathroom fan might be causing you some serious grief on your energy bill at the end of the month. While they might not seem threats, these troublesome little devils can actually mess with your energy bill in two ways.

The first is by simple overuse. A bathroom fan can seriously add to the cost of an energy bill, especially if it’s left running when it does not need to run. Secondly, a bathroom fan does a great job of pulling warm air right out of your house, which will only lead to more thermostat and furnace usage.

Finding easy ways to save money on your energy bill doesn’t have to be brain surgery. When those winter months set in, there are a few things just about any homeowner can do to make sure they’re saving as much as possible. Sealing windows, checking for drafts, and keeping an eye on ventilation fans are just a few of the ways to save on that energy bill during the winter months.

 

Note: This article was written for SUNTEX by guest writer, Gloria Martinez. Gloria Martinez loves sharing her business expertise and hopes to inspire other women to start their own businesses and seek promotions in the workplace. She created WomenLed.org to spotlight and celebrate women’s achievements. Please reach out directly to SUNTEX if you have any questions regarding this article, or the blog post content.

In a previous blog post I talked a little bit about the benefits of Sunlight Financial, a company that has grown significantly in just a few short years from being an idea, to being a publicly traded fortune-500 company (check it out here: https://suntexllc.com/big-news-from-our-own-back-yard/). However this week we’ll dig a little deeper and really explore what sets Sunlight Financial apart as a solar, and home improvement lender.

For starters, Sunlight Financial was founded in 2014 by insiders of the solar financing industry: Neil Auerbach and Wilson Chang (https://www.hudsonsustainable.com/sunlight-financial). According to Hudsonsustainable.com, “As the pioneer of solar PPA financing while leading Goldman Sachs’ renewable energy business over 15 years ago, Neil understood firsthand the complexity associated with leases and PPAs, particularly as applied to single family homes rather than large utility scale systems. Neil and Wilson envisioned that a simpler consumer loan, secured by the solar system, would be a far superior means of facilitating mass adoption of residential solar in the US, helping consumers to switch to solar to save money and reduce carbon emissions” (https://www.hudsonsustainable.com/sunlight-financial).

This means that when you work with Sunlight Financial, you’re working with some of the founding fathers of the solar loan programs we see today. They’re well-versed in the subject, and know what they’re talking about when it comes to these types of financial packages, because they’ve got decades of industry experience!

Similar to GoodLeap (who we explored in yesterday’s blog post, here: https://suntexllc.com/loanpal-goodleap-and-everything-in-between/), Sunlight Financial is also publicly traded. This means that all those same benefits we discussed before – surpassing market barriers and finance-market scrutiny – apply to Sunlight Financial as well.

Additionally, Sunlight Financial was one of the first solar loan companies to include other types of home improvement projects as well, which shows their flexibility, as well as their general understanding of the market. Not to mention, and perhaps most importantly to our customer base, Sunlight Financial has made strides in the industry in assisting non-native English speakers – check out more information on that, here: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/03/sunlight-financial-now-offering-residential-solar-loans-in-spanish/.

One key difference from Sunlight Financial is that while they have one of the easiest processes for both customers and installers to follow when installing and financing solar and other home improvement projects, they do have slightly higher requirements for acquiring said loan. For example, they’re looking for home owners with at least a 650 credit score before moving forward, so if you’re not quite there yet, this may not be the loan program for you. That said, if your credit score is 650 or above, they’re an excellent option and provide some really nice incentives, in addition to their easy-to-follow recipe for financing your home improvement project.

Because they’ve been doing this for a while, their method is like clock-work, and they have a very simple user-interface to help you out as well as you go through the process of installing your project – but don’t take my word for it, check out what Yahoo News had to say about them: https://www.yahoo.com/now/sunlight-financial-enhances-financing-solutions-123000896.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABpURMX2rURPJIOylgbJe6XI_8jKVXGkq6pr5ztIfAFis4Lufdll9GaHWdr34gPlVU8zrvyI5qhGSW3zk4XNaMLlcMKss4uuyDpQYaHfux4sDCGBQzYExvXmth4zecr8ppTRFSDvKHssmcx2cHN2SJ9tcCenI6f7CI0IU-kVqent.

Is Sunlight Financial right for you? Call us today and find out!

One of the beautiful things about financing your solar project with a solar lender, versus a more traditional bank loan, is that they’re completely familiar with the process! You’re not answering too many questions from the onset about what this project is, how it will work, how long it will take, or the potential benefits to your home equity, because all of that is already baked into your solar loan. Well, thankfully there are plenty of options to choose from within that specific financial market, and each has their own competitive advantage over the other, based on your specific need.

Today’s post will focus on the company formerly known as LoanPal, GoodLeap. Before we get into the details however, let’s explore this brand change a little more, so those of us familiar with the original name can start to familiarize ourselves with the new one. According to Bloomberg’s article published back in June, “Loanpal, one of America’s biggest solar-loan providers, has renamed itself GoodLeap as it expands further into the broader market for sustainable home upgrades” (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-02/solar-financier-loanpal-eyes-home-greening-market-with-new-name).

This seems fairly straightforward, and is actually on-point with several other solar loan providers who have made the same move in recent years. What this means, is that instead of looking for options to finance your solar project exclusively and then seeking other means of financing for smart home upgrades and other home improvement projects – such as geothermal heating and energy-saving window upgrades – you’re now able to bundle these projects together and tackle them all at once, with the exact same loan!

Now, what separates GoodLeap loans from the pack? Well, perhaps most importantly, these loans allow for a slightly lower credit score – just 600 to be precise. Of course, the higher credit score the better, however GoodLeap has taken the helm of helping home-owners with slightly below-par credit scores go solar (and finance other home improvement projects), even without perfect credit. It’s always important to note however that this could impact your interest rate, so be sure to pay close attention to that number when reviewing your home improvement financing options.

Another notable difference in GoodLeap, which is becoming more prevalent in the marketplace as other home improvement financiers look to diversify their funding, is that they are now public! Check out the following articles to learn more about this: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goodleap-closes-800-million-investment-round-led-by-msd-partners-along-with-bdt-capital-partners-and-davidson-kempner-301398970.html and https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-08/solar-financier-loanpal-is-said-to-plan-ipo-as-soon-as-this-year?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business. What does this mean for you? Well, it means you’re likely looking at a very strong partner, with a strong bottom line as well – meaning that you can trust your loan will likely not be lost or forgotten, should the bull market on solar change in the near future. Publicly traded companies are heavily regulated as well, so you’re dealing with a company that has faced heavy scrutiny and still out-performs competitors year over year.

What home improvement loan options are available to you? Find out today by giving us a call at the number at the top of this page! We’re happy to help you learn more about your financing options and which home improvement projects will save you money and energy costs. Call us today!

With a warming climate and soaring energy prices, it’s no wonder that so many homeowners are switching to renewables, and there are few renewable solutions as widely available and readily accessible as solar panels. If you want to harness the sunshine, here are a few considerations to take on board first.

Planning

The benefits of solar paneling can be tremendous but, before you switch, it’s important to carry out plenty of research – variables like roof type, weather and property condition may all affect your decision. For example, flat roofs can inhibit a panel’s ability to absorb sunlight, this is because the angle of the sun is 50 to 60 degrees and so, to ensure maximum radiation, the roof pitch should be 30 to 40 or the panels should be mounted for tilt.

It’s also crucial that your roof is in good condition for the installation of solar panels. The panels themselves tend to last around 25 years, even in harsh weather conditions and with regular usage. When you consider that many asphalt and fiber cement shingle roofs only make it to 20, it makes sense to upgrade your roof at the same time as installing solar panels.

Installation

Solar panels work by creating an alternating current (AC), which is converted through a solar inverter into direct current (DC), which is the energy you use to power appliances in your home. Installers will not only place and secure panels, they understand this important process and will work to ensure that your equipment is running smoothly. Unlike other household features, solar panels cannot easily be installed by a non-professional.

The time it takes to install really depends on circumstance but you can expect this process to last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. At SUNTEX, we count six stages – these include meetings, audits and checks, preparation, and installation. To help speed this along, you’re encouraged to provide your energy bill during the initial consultation to get the best possible quote for your home, and make sure to ask any questions about your home’s energy profile throughout the process.

Usage

It’s estimated that the average American home needs anywhere between 19 and 23 solar panels, based on the average electricity usage of 877 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. Of course, this variable changes depending on the household and people in it so you’re best off doing your own research and calculating your personal requirements and the subsequent costs of installation based on quotes.

If you find that you need assistance with paying for solar energy, there are systems in place. Some federal or state programs will even assist with down payments if you can clearly demonstrate your plans to invest in solar energy and the associated budget.

Solar energy is the future, especially in hot climates. It can often lead to a cheaper, easier, and more environmentally friendly energy in your home – just make sure you’ve done your research before you switch.

SunTex LLC is a family-owned company based out of North Texas dedicated to providing the best energy solutions with the highest level of customer service. To learn more, visit: www. HYPERLINK “https://suntexllc.com/”suntexllc.co HYPERLINK “https://suntexllc.com/“m

 

Note: This article was written for SUNTEX by guest writer, Gloria Martinez. Gloria Martinez loves sharing her business expertise and hopes to inspire other women to start their own businesses and seek promotions in the workplace. She created WomenLed.org to spotlight and celebrate women’s achievements. Please reach out directly to SUNTEX if you have any questions regarding this article, or the blog post content.

Aptly named, fall brings about the shedding of leaves which accumulate in your yard at a much faster rate than the rest of the year. Almost immediately, even if you don’t notice the transition in temperature, the wind starts to blow and the trees shake, leaving you plenty to do on the weekends.

Of course if you’ve installed solar panels on your home, or if you’ve done your homework before going solar, you know that any shading whatsoever can impact the efficacy of your panels, and their ability to produce energy for your home.

That’s why we’ve gathered a few helpful tips on how to prepare your home, and especially your solar panels, from the dire consequences of leaf accumulation.

Check them out below:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032116000745
• https://gogreenleafsolar.com/natural-threats-to-your-residential-solar-system-and-how-to-combat-them/
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191209080505.htm

All joking aside, I hope you’re enjoying the start to September, and have already begun planning your fall garden as well! Do you enjoying working outside or decorating for the season? Feel free to share your Fall Home prep or Favorite Fall activities in the comments below!

We’re back, and Wow what an exciting month it’s been! If you’ve been following along with the blog this year, Thank you so much! I sincerely apologize for our delay. We’ve finished making changes to the website and I’m happy to report, we’re back with new and improved content. So feel free to check out the site, or feel free to reach out directly via phone, email, or using our new online chat feature if you’ve got any questions for us regarding solar panels, roofing, insulation, window repair, gutter installation, or if you’ve got questions about our wide range of Smart Home services. We’re happy to help walk you through an energy analysis on your home, and just need your energy bill to get started on a free consultation – so don’t wait any longer, give us a call today!