Summer is here and it is time to enjoy all the summer activities that we long for the rest of the year. However, with the summer sun also comes the summer heat which can be highly uncomfortable and costly to counteract with air conditioning. With temperatures rising and the effects of climate change, it is easy to surmise that the effects of summer will only become worse. Thankfully, a solar panel system installed on your home or business can help to drastically reduce the cost of keeping it cool. 

Stay here to learn about the three ways that solar panels systems can reduce energy costs this summer, and be sure to visit the West Coast Solar website to get a free quote and learn how our company stacks up against other solar companies in California. 

3 Ways Solar Can Reduce Summer Cooling Costs

Installing a solar panel system in your home is one of the best ways to reduce energy spending all year but especially in the summer months in the Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, San Joaquin, and Brentwood areas. According to a Reuters article, the extreme heat forecasted for this summer could create energy shortfalls in California, and other states. California’s climate as well as other factors puts the state at risk for outages. 

However, having a solar panel system can help make sure your business or home not only avoids outages but also reduces the cost of the extreme temperatures forecasted for this summer. Solar panels can lower costs in at least three ways.

Keep Your Home Cooler

Due to an effect called passive reduction or passive solar cooling, solar panels installed on your home’s roof can actually reduce the amount of heat that penetrates your home. How so? Solar panels are able to absorb up to 38% of the heat that bears down on your home during the summer. As a result, the portions of your roof with solar panels are likely to be five degrees cooler than other portions of your roof and your home will naturally be cooler, reducing the amount of energy that needs to be used to cool it. 

Save On Energy Costs

The energy costs that you experience with a solar panel system all year will especially be felt during the summer months when the air conditioner must run to combat the summer’s heat. With the help of solar panels that can generate part or all of your energy needs (depending on the system that you have installed) you will be able to draw your power from your system instead of the grid. Though installing a solar panel system on your home will be an additional investment, the savings you experience especially during the summer will far outweigh the initial investment. 

Take Advantage of Net Metering

Because of the efficiency of a solar panel system, your system will likely generate more energy than you need, which can be stored in a solar battery. For on-grid systems, homeowners and business owners alike can enjoy the advantages of net metering every time their system generates a kilowatt-hour of solar energy; with each kilowatt-hour, you can earn a credit, which will be used to offset energy costs when you have to draw from the system. As a result, if you must rely on the grid for some of your energy needs this summer, your energy bills may be reduced. 

To learn how a solar panel system on your home may help reduce summer costs this summer, talk to a solar energy expert at West Coast Solar. We are the top rated solar company in California and would love to help you save. Visit our website and get a free quote.