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Using the power of the sun is becoming increasingly attractive from an economic and environmental aspect. If you’re going solar, you need to know the components.
Solar Components
While generally considered electric platforms, solar systems definitely have unique components. Here’s some of the jargon you are going to need to be familiar with before buying.
1. Photovoltaic Cell ?This is the key piece of any solar platform. Known as a PV cell, it is typically a small cell containing a silicon substance under glass. When the sun hits the cell, the silicon undergoes an electrical reaction that creates a charge. The charge is collected by small wires. Depending on the nature of the cell, each should produce roughly half a volt.
2. Solar Panel ?A collection of solar cells joined as a unit in a frame. A single panel typically is insufficient to produce enough energy to power anything of significance in your home.
3. Solar System ?Also known as a photovoltaic system, a solar system is an interconnected set of solar panels. This is what you see on the roofs of home or other areas around homes and buildings. A solar system converts enough sunlight into electricity to provide most or all of the power required by a home.
4. Orientation ?Before installing a panel system, one has to give some thought regarding where to put it. The sun tracks across a structure in a particular way. To maximize the energy production, the panels have to be oriented to receive the maximum amount of sunlight. This, of course, results in the maximum amount of electricity.
5. Direct Current ?A type of electricity that flows in only one direction. Solar cells produce direct current electricity.
6. Alternating Current ?Electricity that flows in both directions. AC power is used by utilities and in practically all appliances and machines in a home.
7. Inverter ?A key component in a solar panel system. The inverter converts the direct current produced by the solar panels into AC power that can be used in the home or fed back into a utility power grid system.
Obviously, there are a wide variety of systems for converting sunlight into power. Making yourself familiar with the above components is a good place to start.

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Furnace flues and chimneys are often neglected. Many homeowners presume that the utility company or their fuel supplier is monitoring them, and don’t realise this isn’t necessarily true until something goes wrong. As a result, bird’s nests and other debris sometimes cause soot and gases to drift back into the house, causing a potentially dangerous situation.
All types of chimneys should have regular, professional inspection and maintenance. Most chimney sweeps service all kinds of flues, not just masonry chimneys or those attached to wood-burning appliances.
The build-up of soot and creosote on flue walls can loosen and fall over time, aided by moisture in the exhaust gases, sometimes filling the clean-out cavity and blocking the flue. Corrosive elements in these gases can affect both metal and masonry chimneys.
Moisture can enter uncapped chimneys, or through cracked concrete tops and even through the bricks. Excessive condensation from gases within can also cause problems. Lower exhaust temperatures from newer gas furnaces (excepting high-efficiency models, which typically use plastic exhaust vents) call for smaller flue sizes (3 to 4 inches) to ensure water vapours are expelled before they cool and condense inside the flue. In the past, some furnaces have been vented into unlined masonry chimneys, which can cause inefficient drafting and deterioration from water damage. The white deposits which you may have seen on masonry chimneys are known as “effluorescence”, and are minerals salts left on the surface after water surfaces and evaporates.
In the interest preservation and safe, efficient operation, venting selection and installation is extremely important. The pipe connecting the furnace to the chimney should be as short as possible, with as few elbows as possible. It is important that metal chimneys erected on the exterior of houses be insulated, and of an approved type for outdoor use.
A professional chimney sweep can check your flue for proper draft, which is often affected by the “tightness” of the house, especially if recently fitted with newer doors and windows. Chimneys which are still in reasonably good condition can be repaired, lined, and water-proofed. Improperly sized, rusted or otherwise damaged metal flues/liners should be replaced immediately.

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Flood insurance is not included in basic home owner’s insurance!
Interestingly enough, one of the worst natural disasters that could possibly affect your home is not included under most normal home owner’s insurance policies. As a result, flood insurance is one of the most important pieces of extra insurance that you could possibly get for your home. If you are worried that you might possibly live within range of some sort of flooding, then you should make sure that you get flood insurance as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter if you have never had any floods during your time living where you are – it’s always possible to have too much rainfall and for the flooding to reach record levels.
Of course, however, if you live high on a hill, then you will probably not need much flood insurance – but you should be careful of other problems that can come with living on a hill, including the possibility of mudslides.
In any case, flood insurance is generally not included with most regular home owner’s insurance. This is possibly because most homes are not located in regions or areas that flood. Since it only takes one flood to ruin a home, however, you should probably try to get some flood insurance.
Keep in mind that depending on where you live and what kind of a home you have, your rates for flood insurance can vary wildly. Areas that are likely to have floods will generally have higher rates due to the fact that it is more likely that the insurance company will have to pay out. If you live in a location where floods are unlikely, but still possible, you will probably be able to get lower rates for your flood insurance. Another factor that will affect how much your insurance is involves the quality and condition of your home. If your home is worth a lot of money, then you will pay more for insurance than you would if it would be relatively cheap to replace.
Even if it is unlikely that your home will flood, you should still think about getting flood insurance. In some cases, you can ad it to the home owner’s insurance that you already have. In other cases, however, it might be better for you to go to a different insurance company that offers cheap flood insurance. You can find flood insurance companies by checking online.

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