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Solar Power Your Home For Dummies [Paperback]

Rik DeGunther (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews) |

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Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)) Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)) 3.3 out of 5 stars (40)
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Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 2007
Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you’re looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, Solar Power For Dummies takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you!

This friendly, hands-on guide is packed with tips for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power—and helping the planet at the same time. You’ll see how to survey your home to determine your current household energy efficiency and use, and evaluate where solar power would best benefit you. You’ll also calculate what the return on your investment will be before you make any decisions. Once you’ve decided on a project, you’ll see whether it’s best to hire a contractor or do it yourself. We leave no stone unturned—you’ll also discover how to:

  • Choose and install your best solar system
  • Handle small to large solar projects
  • Heat and cool your house with solar energy
  • Install exterior solar lighting
  • Handle swimming pool, water heater, or ventilation solar projects
  • Create greenhouses or solar rooms
  • Build, buy, or sell a solar home
  • Finance your solar investments
  • Take advantage of tax rebates and incentives associated with solar power
  • Avoid the worst solar mistakes

Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest do-it-yourself solar projects, Solar Power For Dummies is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source!

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Features the ten best solar investments

Make your home energy efficient and put solar power to work for you!

Want to take advantage of solar power? This friendly, hands-on guide takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to do everything from adding small components to your home to building a solar-powered house from the ground up. You'll see how to heat and cool your home, create solar rooms, install solar lighting, and much more.

Discover how to:

  • Choose the best solar system for your needs

  • Handle small to large solar projects

  • Build, buy, or sell a solar home

  • Finance your solar investments

  • Avoid the worst solar mistakes

About the Author

Rik DeGunther is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy consultant firm that focuses on home energy audits and the design of efficient heating and cooling systems.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (December 10, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0470175699
  • ISBN-13: 978-0470175699
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Rik DeGunther Page
Rik DeGunther
Rik DeGunther is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy consultant firm that focuses on home energy audits and the design of efficient heating and cooling systems.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a good introduction to how the energy from the sun can be put to practical everyday use. If you don't like to read a lot of technical stuff, this book is for you. Quick, easy reading the non-technical average person. with references for more information. This book has practical projects for the person who already has some knowledge of solar energy as well. If you're looking for a really detailed technical book of how to design and install your own solar collector (electrical or water), better get a different book. My 5-star rating is for those who are beginners or those that have a little knowledge of solar energy.
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106 of 113 people found the following review helpful
The Whole Picture February 2, 2008
Format:Paperback
As an electronic engineer, I originally looked at home solar energy as a chance to buy some cool gear to play with, while saving money in the bargain. As I delved into the book, my outlook changed. I was surprised to find how complex a home's energy use situation can be, and that some money can be saved before connecting a single wire. Even as I later relished the chapters covering solar electricity generation, I still noted the frequent reminders and references to non-electrical aspects of a "solar" home, as well as practical financial and regulatory realities to consider in choosing a system. In short, I came away from my first reading with a much more balanced perspective on solar energy, and I'll continue to re-read as a reference. Of course, I'm still hankerin' after that gear, yet, at least, now I have a better picture of what's really useful. Plus, I'm off to a good start in being knowledgable enough to deal effectively with those installation contractors. Well done!
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Was this review helpful to you?
76 of 82 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
My husband and I have become increasingly consciencious about saving our natural resources. It has been our goal to add solar panels to our house but most of the books out there were not written for the average person. This book answered all our questions in a language we could easily understand. We learned how to make solar power an investment throughout our entire house! How cool is that?

The awesome thing about this book is it goes way beyond explaining the money we can save but includes vital tips on what not to do. I love when a book keeps me from making mistakes. I could go on and on about this book because I'm thrilled I finally have a great reference tool. I am eagerly anticipating creating a home that will actually not take so many of our precious resources from the earth.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Solar Power for Homes
More complete information about solar cell panels and there uses on bigger projects. It is the wave of the future. Thank you.
Published 20 hours ago by Bethann
it a most have book
i like this book so much if you are thanking about solar panel for your then this book is a most have
Published 23 days ago by tim
No problems with the book
I however am a dummy when it comes to solar. I'll have to read it over a few times before I can figure this out. That, or maybe I'll just keep paying Ma-Bell.
Published 3 months ago by Carolyn Gibbs
Solar Power Your Home
The title of this book is misleading to the buyer. I was thinking the contents had to do with actually placing solar panels, batteries, etc. to convert sunlight to power. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ogg
Good book for energy conservation - very LITTLE on solar
I was specifically looking for some information for configuring/sizing a solar system for my home. This book had a lot of good energy conservation suggestions; however, there was... Read more
Published 13 months ago by SueC
Pretty basic, so far
Not done reading the entire tome, but it focus's more on the economics to convince you to go with solar power rather than the technical, "how it works and what is required for... Read more
Published 13 months ago by ClausB
Solar for Dummies
This one is really for dummies. I didn't find anything I didn't already know. Not a good how to book.
Published 14 months ago by Tom R
Great book
Great book for those that know nothing, or very little, about solar....and even for those that know a lot. Read more
Published 15 months ago by hipee192012
Just The Facts Please
I purchased this book as a starter guide for my research. The first 1/3 of the book is just liberal, tree-hugging, global warming alarmist propaganda. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Jay Underwood
Light weight
I use to read Mother Earth News 30 years ago, I now belong to the local chapter of the Electric Auto Association, have installed solar light tubes, and solar hot water to my home... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Lynn A. Ellsworth
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
wind power, solar pumps, landscape projects, attic vent fan, intertie system, natural ventilation scheme, solar projects, tiered rate structure, batch collectors, solar equipment, solar fountain, solar room, swimming pool projects, overflow spout, domestic water heater, solar tubes, solar potential, energy costs rise, baseline usage, home energy efficient, solar home, solar oven, whole house fan, pollution mitigation, silicon sealant
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Doing It Yourself, Little Help, Home Solar Projects, Medium-Sized Projects, Understanding Solar, Just the Facts, Small Projects, Mother Nature, Directing Wind, Big Results, Making Your Home Energy Efficient, Finding the Moolah, Hydro Power, Going Solo, Bill Toomuch, Divorcing the Grid, Helping the World, Glass Houses, Solar Power Systems, Supplementing Your Domestic Water Heater, Playing the Energy Game, North America, The Part of Tens, Department of Energy, Diving Into Swimming Pool Projects
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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