| By: Steven Briesemeister |
As global warming becomes an increasingly popular topic of conversation with politicians and the rest of the world alike, it is becoming more and more commonplace for homeowners to do their bit to try to protect the environment. 
Having a solar system fitted on your house to be a practice that was reserved only for the rich and the slightly eccentric but with the introduction of affordable solar energy roof shingles, also known as photovoltaic tiles, it is now a viable option for almost any homeowner. The designs have improved giving you solar energy roof shingles that look like any other roof shingles.
Conserving electricity.
We spend a fortune on energy bills every year and as the price of a barrel of oil continues to rise to heights we’ve never seen before, the price will continue to rise. One of the best ways to resolve this is by the introduction and effective use of solar energy roof shingles. Whereas you would normally want your roof to reflect the light, solar energy roof shingles work in the opposite way by collecting the sun’s energy in the photovoltaic tiles and then this energy is converted through a transformer (usually installed in the attic) that will convert this into usable electrical energy. You can then use this for a number of different reasons around your home.
Using the energy that solar energy roof shingles create.
One of the easiest and most common ways to use solar energy that is collected using solar energy roof shingles is heating water. You can use solar power to heat your water boiler or the water in your central heating system. You could even heat your outdoor pool with it. Heating water requires much less in the way of conversion, hence its popularity. You can use the solar energy to power your entire home and during the summer months you can even sell back any unused electricity to the grid using a grid-tie system.
The design of solar energy roof shingles.
Once upon a time you were forced to have huge solar energy panels installed on your roof that stood out from the rest of your house and your roof. They were definitely not the height of fashion, however it is now possible to buy solar energy roof shingles that are almost identical in appearance to any other type of roof shingles. You will need to get a specialist firm to install them on your roof and if you are considering using it to power the whole of your house then you will need a firm that can install the systems required within your house too.
Finding a company to install solar energy roof shingles on your house.
There are an increasing number of companies who specialize in solar energy solutions for your home, and picking a specialist company is important. While many roofing contractors will be able to fit the shingles they may not have the knowledge regarding the system or how to install the tiles so that they function correctly. Done incorrectly your solar energy roof shingles may be less effective than they should or may not work at all.
For more information about solar energy roof shingles (Photovoltaics) when installation is complete please visit https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/photovoltaics.html
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