In the wake of devastating natural disasters, homeowners are finding unexpected relief because of their solar energy investments.
After Hurricane Helene hit in September, around five million homes and businesses reported outages across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
However, homeowners with solar power systems could return to everyday life quicker because of their solar panels and battery backups.
One hurricane victim shared their story on Reddit about post-hurricane solar energy production.
"Even on this dark, overcast day, I'm generating more than I'm using," the original poster wrote.
Choosing solar power is one of the most effective ways to boost your home's resilience to extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly common each year because of rising global temperatures.
Installing solar panels has many benefits, including saving money on energy bills and contributing to a healthier planet with clean energy and less pollution. But as homeowners are realizing, post-storm resilience is also an incredibly valuable benefit of solar.
The OP shared, "The lower energy bills are nice, but this is the real payoff."
In addition to setting up renewable energy storage, other ways to boost your home's weather resiliency include using sustainable building materials in construction and adding fire-resistant, heat-reflecting shingles to your roof.
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Fortunately, government programs are available to help homeowners weather-proof their homes.
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Inflation Reduction Act tax breaks and credits have made solar panels more affordable than ever. But with President-elect Donald Trump threatening to eliminate these subsidies, it's crucial to take advantage of these incentives sooner than later.
To find the best deals on solar panels near you, check out EnergySage's free tools to compare quotes from trusted solar installers.
Reddit users complimented the OP's use of solar and could relate to their sense of relief thanks to being self-sufficient and energy-efficient.
"Exactly how I felt after the 2021 winter freeze in Texas," one Redditor shared
A Reddit user commented, "I love my off grid system. And your post makes me think I should add more ballast to the panels."
"This is the way," someone else wrote.
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