But how much money can you save going solar? How can you quantify the effects of an upgrade?

1. Use online calculators.

Dozens of online calculators can help you calculate the gist of how much you could save, long-term, based on parameters you input. But if you’re in the earlier stages of the research process, these calculations might confuse more than they clarify.

2. Get a rough estimate using national average.

These numbers change, but let’s just say that the average electricity bill in our region, among homeowners like you, is $120 per month. If you install a 3 kilowatt system and obtain usable 7 hours of sunlight every day, you get around 20 kilowatt hours a day. That means you get about 600 kilowatt hours every month. Of course, you need to “hit at” that number, because not every day will be sunny and beautiful, especially in the Bay Area, where the weather gets crazy.

So let’s say that 20% of the days, rain or fog or other inclement weather prevents your system from extracting usable energy. 20% of 600 is 120, so you might end up with only 480 kilowatt hours a month. If your home or business consumes around 1,000 kilowatt hours per month (a pretty fair estimate), that means that you can supply basically half your energy needs every month. Thus, you save around $60 per month.

3. Put that $60 figure (or whatever you came up with) into context.

Dozens, possibly hundreds, of variables can impact your energy efficiency, costs, etc. These factors include:

• Thermal efficiency of your roof
• Your personal energy needs
• Seasonal changes
• Quality of solar tile installation
• Whether you use “smart” controls or not
• Whether you ever need to repair/upgrade/re-install solar tiles
• Whether you add more solar capacity

4. Simplify your quest for better energy by connecting with experts.

The team here at Century Roof & Solar in the Bay Area has an exquisitely adapted system to help homeowners and business owners like you maximize efficiency and costs. Get in touch with us via our website or call us to schedule a free consultation to solve your solar panel needs.

The answer is: None, if you’ve installed sun tubes and sun tunnels strategically in your home!

This is exciting news – particularly if want to save money, enjoy a little more natural sunlight (got to get that Vitamin D somehow!), and conserve heat and electricity. Sun tubes and tunnels can make your place look more beautiful and elegant without breaking the bank.

Beyond Electrical Lights – A Path Towards Luminousnes

Sun tubes and sun tunnels offer a different, exciting, stylistic way forward. They bypass problems associated with electrical lights. Here’s how they work. Sunlight pours through a small opening, which gets amplified and reflected into the room. The tubes and tunnels can be small – as small as 10 inches in diameter. But the lambent ambiance is perfect for cramped places, like laundry rooms, closets, hallways and bathrooms.

The tubes/tunnels are also great for “reconnecting” your home with the outdoors. Another plus: they’re relatively inexpensive. Your lighting and energy needs will likely drop, and you can save on both cooling and heating costs, indirectly. So the work should basically pay for itself over the long-term.

Also, let’s face it: there’s something about natural light from the sun that’s both aesthetically and potentially biologically superior to artificial light. You can install tubes and tunnels without revamping the support system of your roof or installing special joists to provide reinforcement.

If you’re interested in learning more about the solar tube or tunnel option for your Bay Area office, condominium, home, or apartment, the team here at Century Roof & Solar can meet your needs. Our Diamond Certified specialists understand solar solutions deeply.

Call us now at 888-233-7548, or learn more at www.centryroofandsolar.com.

Before sun tube

After sun tube

According to The Department of Energy’s official site: www.energy.gov, consumers can receive profound tax credits just for installing renewable energy systems in their homes and businesses.

Consider this blurb regarding federal tax credits for energy efficiency:

“consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electrical systems), small windsystems, small geo-thermal heat pumps, residential fuel cell and microturbine systems canreceive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before Dec 31, 2016.”

Also of interest:

“In addition to federal tax incentives, some consumers will also eligible forutility or state rebates, as well as state tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, vehicles andequipment.”

A tax credit is actually much more powerful than a tax deduction. A deduction chips away at the percentage of monies you might owe in taxes; whereas a tax credit slashes your taxes “dollar for dollar” basis. In other words, by deploying a solar or renewable energy solution for heating and powering your home, you will get money literally flowing into your bank account from thegovernment as a kind of “Thank you” for reducing your energy footprint.

Of course, the tax credit alone might not be enticing enough for you to break out of your current inertia and make the switch to solar or some other “green” renewable energy solution. Whenyou consider it in the context of other benefits – helping the environment, reducing your long-term energy costs, being a good example for your community, freeing yourself from the whims and arbitrary dictates of power companies, preemptively sidestepping power outages – the solar alternative appears brighter and brighter and brighter (pun intended).

How do you get started?

Talk to the professionals at Century Roofing and Solar. For over 15 years, our Bay Area roofing contractors have led the region in light-weight roof systems and PV solar systems. Our team is known for reliable, quality, clean, and timely results. We are a Diamond Certified Company and proud members of the Committee for Fire-Safe Dwellings, Master Elite, and the Better Business Bureau. Connect with us now at 510-780-9489, or explore resources to help you make your decision at www.centuryroofandsolar.com.

Whether you’re about to embark on a major remodeling project that could take many months and require the services of multiple contractors; or you simply want to repair a roof that got damaged during a recent windstorm, you likely harbor worries about the process. Below, we discuss three of the biggest homeowner concerns:

1. Identifying the right price for the job.

You’d like to keep costs low for obvious reasons. On the other hand, you realize that if you accept the lowest bid simply because it’s the cheapest, you could set yourself up for disaster.  Lousy workmanship, missed deadlines, and chaos at the construction site can make you miserable and ultimately inflate project costs. In the worst case scenario, you may need to pay a second contractor to redo the first contractor’s botched job.

In an ideal world, you want a roofing company that’s going to be completely honest with you about pricing and that’s going to give you an excellent deal for your money – that is, the contractors will meet your needs and provide complete transparency of process.

2. A desire for the project to go smoothly, satisfyingly, cleanly, and without drama.

Homeowners who remodel fear (and rightly so) projects running over budget, running overtime frame, or simply running out of control. We all have heard horror stories from neighbors and friends who have hired the wrong contractors. The results are sadly predictable: construction debris and litter strewn over the lawn; property (such as garden plants) disrespected and stompedout of existence; rude, discourteous workers; “unexpected” delays and so on.

In an ideal world, you want the experience to be completely drama-free. Your contractor should demonstrate respect, courteousness, cleanliness, and the ability to manage internal projects so that they minimize disruption to your life and maximize efficiency and quality.

3. A desire for long-term value from the re-roofing.

What exactly constitutes “value”?  The answer boils down to quality over time. Your finished product – the roof that’s restored, repaired, or reinstalled – should add to your property’s value and your own well being simultaneously. Ideally, the roof should be made of sturdy, durable, high-quality components from manufacturers who employ the best standards, and should minimize the likelihood that you will have to “re-repair” the work.

We at Century Roof and Solar employ only the best quality controlled products (such as roof and gutter products) from trusted manufacturers.  We have developed a reputation for delivering clean, quality, reliable, on-time results, and we’ve won awards for our customer satisfaction.  We are a Diamond Certified company, a proud member of the Better Business Bureau, and a member of the Committee for Firesafe Dwellings (a non-profit corporation). We have 15 years of experience, and we can handle jobs of immense complexity as well as jobs that have a tight time deadline.  Learn about how we can help you at www.centuryrooftile.com, or call us for a quote at 510-780-9489.

While debates about climate change, energy independence, and alternative “green” energy rage, consumers find themselves at a difficult crossroads. What’s the best, safest, cheapest, most “green,” and least cumbersome way to power one’s house and one’s life?

New research and new technologies have re-inspired faith in one of the oldest – actually the oldest – energy source: solar.
Here are four reasons why it may behoove you to install a solar solution for your home or business immediately.

1. Good for the environment.

Solar is a totally non-polluting technology.  Not only are you not releasing carbon-dioxide, but you are also not contributing to particulate pollution.  Moreover, when you make the switch to solar, you create a kind of “social permission” for your friends, neighbors, and others in your community to do the same.  You create the change: your change sparks others to change and help the environment on a grander scale.

2. Independence from the power companies!

Although modern utility companies do a fairly good job of maintaining service, you’re in many ways at their mercy.  During sweltering summer months, for instance, power might be rationed just when you need it most to keep your AC flowing.  Alternately, with a solar installation – backed up by a battery powered system, so you can have power at night and on foggy days – you get total independence from your utility company.

3. Virtually eliminate your maintenance.

Even “old school” solar power systems had long lives.  Today’s systems can last 40 yearsor longer – no need to add fuel, do maintenance to the panels, or change out parts (there are no moving parts!).

4. Big financial motivations.

In 2008, the government created a tax incentive program to provide thousands of dollars in tax credits to homeowners who install solar energy solutions. This money is not simply a deduction against what can be taxed.  It is a dollar for dollar federal tax rebate.  Also, consider the longer term cost savings. Yes, installing a solar solution can lead to upfront costs. But imagine if you never had to pay a utility bill for the next four decades? How much would you save? It’s easy to calculate this – chances are, virtually every homeowner out there could save significantly over the long term.

If you have questions about solar power solutions, connect with the most trusted name in roofing – Century Roof and Solar.  For 15 years, we’ve served the Bay area with reliable solutions.  We are a Diamond Certified company.   Find out more about our process and solutions at  www.centuryrooftile.com, www.noutilitiybill.com or call 510-780-9489 to speak with one of our professionals.

Skylights and so-called “sun tubes” are becoming increasingly popular – not just among cutting-edge architects but also among “rank and file” building designers and homeowners.  What’s changed about our collective attitude towards these features?
1. First of all, skylights and sun tubes can help you save on electricity bills.
In an “up” economy, saving a few bucks a month on your power bill might not seem like much.  But in today’s troubled economy, homeowners and small businesses are turning over every rock to look for innovative ways to save. When you get natural sunlight through a skylight or sun tube to light up your kitchen, bathroom, rec room, or other area, you don’t need to keep flipping on and off the electricity.
2. Aesthetics.
Let’s face it.  A properly installed, “feng shui” engineered skylight can work wonders for a room.  Skylights are a lot more attractive than florescent overhead lights, for instance, and human beings have a biological craving for natural sunlight.
3. Airtight installations.
New technology and innovative installation techniques have resolved problems (leaks and loss of heat/cool air) that once plagued the skylight and sun tube industry.  A qualified and reputable company, such as CenturyRoof and Solar, can install airtight and leak-proof lights easily.
4. Remote control openings.
One possible downside to some skylights is that they must be cranked open and closed by hand.  This might not seem like to big of deal but if you are elderly, have a disability, or someone who might use the feature on a regular basis– a manually operated sunlight can be somewhat frustrating to use.  Fortunately, new technologies have solved this problem – many skylights can be cranked open via remote control now, nice for convenience and nice for show feature.
5. Vitamin D.
Compelling scientific research now suggests that many Americans suffer from vitamin D deficiency – a condition that’s associated with lack of natural sunlight.  By allowing more natural light into your home, you may be able to indulge (carefully!) in the sun’s natural rays and boost your vitamin D levels.
If you would like a personalized consultation regarding your skylight and sun tube needs, talk to the Bay Area leaders in roof systems, Century Roof and Solar.  Learn more at www.centuryrooftile.com or call 888-233-7548 for a free roofing/skylight sun tube quote.

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