By Christopher Lollini

At the heart of any modern residential solar power system are the PV solar panels. These solar panels are the critical component in the system that does the actual conversion of sunlight to electricity. They do this through the use of solar cells that are designed to take advantage of the photovoltaic (PV) effect. The PV effect occurs in certain materials, that when exposed to direct sunlight will generate a small DC current. In the case of modern solar panels for homes, these solar cells are made from a silicon-based compound that has improved dramatically over the years in efficiency. These modern solar cells are able to provide far more power than older versions and are much more durable as well. In some cases these new solar panels for homes can deliver over twice as much power from the same amount of sunlight as older panels because of these improved solar cells.

Improved Efficiency, Important for Several Reasons

The fact that these new solar panels for homes are more efficient than older versions is important for most homeowners for several reasons. It means that most home solar power systems will need less of these newer, high efficiency solar panels to generate the same amount of power as an older and larger system required in the past. This can save you both roof space and the expense of all the additional panels you would have needed for an older system. It can also help lower the installation cost and complexity since there are less solar panels to mount and wire into the system. All of this helps to make these modern solar panels for homes a much better value for consumers.

In addition to greater solar panel efficiency, there have also been improvements and innovations to the inverters that take the DC output from these solar panels and convert it into AC power that can be used by the home. Modern versions of these inverters are much more efficient and are able to convert a larger portion of the power they receive from the solar panels into useful solar power for homes. Since you are wasting less of this solar power to the conversion process with these new inverters, you need even fewer panels than older systems required.

The Advent of the Micro-Inverter

Another emerging trend among some solar panel vendors is to actually include a micro-inverter built into the solar panel itself, and do the conversion of power at the panel. This helps to improve solar panel efficiency even further by eliminating the power loss associated with long cable runs between the solar panels and a standard inverter that is typically located near the power panel of the home. This power loss could account for as much as 15% or more of the total system power in older systems and was an expensive problem for many homeowners that can be eliminated with these newer solar panels for homes.

Durability Improvements

Another advantage that these newer solar panels provide is their durability. Older panels could typically last 10 years or more on a home but would start to generate less power each year as their solar cells decayed. This meant that even though these older panels were still generating power, they would degrade to the point that they needed to be replaced far sooner than expected. Most newer panels can not only last longer than older panels, they are also able to generate their peak output for most of their lives and not suffer from the slow degradation like older panels. In fact many of the manufacturers will now warranty their panels for both guarantees against failure in general and guarantees against a degrading power output. This means you can have a panel replaced under warranty if it fails outright, or if it starts to generate significantly less power over time. This gives you peace of mind that your investment will provide the power you require for decades to come.

About the Author: Hope this information helped answer your questions. Have another question you need answered? Want to get more great content and information about topics like solar panel efficiency and get a FREE informative 5-day eCourse to learn more about solar power for homes, then check out my website. Hope to see you soon, thanks!

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By Adrianna Norton

When a plumber or other home repair professional comes into a home to do a repair, they are required to have liability insurance. Things can happen during a plumbing repair job that can result in unintentional damage. For instance, a pipe could be accidentally hit causing the leak of oil or gas which may require costly clean up. Contractor liability insurance can help alleviate the cost. As well, a problem could be fixed, but a day later, the problem could reoccur. Contractor liability insurance is a necessary financial safeguard to protect the client and the hired professional.

Contractor Liability Insurance is insurance that contractors buy to protect them from specific liability claims from issues that occurred during contractor operations. This insurance helps financially protect a contractor from accidental damage, injury to others, contractual liability, and more. If a contractor does not have contractor’s liability insurance, a contractor could be put out of business there was a lawsuit. Depending on the type of insurance purchased, contractor liability will not only benefit the policy holder, but it can also protect people who work under the contractor. When a contractor chooses a policy, they will often choose a million dollar liability, but they can also choose higher liability such as two or three million dollars. The type of insurance a contractor purchases will depend on the level of risk. They will also normally make sure any subcontractors they hire also have contractor’s liability insurance. This is to ensure protection if a subcontractor attempts to avoid liability responsibility if they make a mistake resulting in damage.

For a plumber, they will normally have liability that covers plumber related issues such as septic, gas, and water systems. When it comes to installation of plumbing systems, many contractor liability insurance policies cover damage that occurs after a specified period outlined in the insurance policy. For instance, a professional plumbing company may guarantee its parts and workmanship for twelve months and if there are any problems during this period, they will redo it at no cost to the homeowner. This means that if a part broke down once during the warranty period and then again a few months later, it will still be within the warranty period. Therefore, homeowner will be able to have it repaired again at not cost. A professional plumbing company will always maintain the necessary insurance coverage.

Much like doctors having malpractice insurance, contractors have insurance to cover damages from accidents and unintended damage that occurs during a job. If an event occurs, the insurance company will review the report and evidence collected by the insurance adjuster. Once fault has been determined, and it is the contractor who is found liable, the insurance company will provide compensation for such things as parts or property damage, legal costs, and possible medical expenses. Contractor’s liability insurance will not cover bad workmanship; however, it will provide coverage for property damage that is the result of the work performed by the plumber. As well, it will cover any injuries sustained during the work project.

It is essential that all contractors, including plumbers, obtain liability insurance because costs associated with an accident can be very expensive. If a homeowner is not sure about the provisions outlined in a plumber’s policy, he or she should ask the plumber. Contractor’s general liability insurance protects a contractor in an industry where accidents happen frequently. As well, this type of liability insurance will give both the homeowner and plumber peace of mind knowing they are protected.

About the Author: Need an emergency plumber Toronto? Plumbing and drain cleaning specialists offer a complete line of services including sewer line cleaning, leak detection, pipe and food disposal repair all completed by plumber Toronto.

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