Wind is a very popular source of alternative energy. Unlike solar, a properly setup wind turbine will generate electricity throughout the day, day and night for years to come. You can save a good part of your energy bill with a wind power system. But if you are a victim of the myths created around generating residential wind power, you might end up losing money instead of saving. 5 Biggest myths associated with residential wind power are listed below. Before you start your project check whether you are a victim of any of these myths. Otherwise it will be too late.
Myth No 1 – Building a Wind Turbine Will Power Your Home
Most people think building a wind turbine will power their homes. But the wind turbine is Only One of the essential parts of your residential wind power system. There are other essential elements to complete it. First you have to store the generated electricity. Lead-acid batteries are commonly used for this purpose. You have to regulate the electricity coming from the turbine and charge these batteries to store electricity. Once stored, you will have to convert the stored electricity to AC current with correct voltage to power your home appliances like your lighting. If this is not performed correct your electric equipment can blow or will not work.For this purpose an inverter is used. Then there are various other equipment like meters, switches, electric circuits and safety devices to complete your home wind system. All these are equally important.
Myth No 2 – It Is Very Easy to Produce Wind Power
Building a wind turbine is not rocket science. You can do it yourself without any doubts. But it is not easy as you may think. You must have a good design to start with. When you do it yourself, I suggest using a proper guiding document. These guides can be found in the internet for around $100. But as you know internet is filled with junk products. So to choose a proper guide look at the experience of the author. He should have done this by himself. Guide should be simple and even an average person with little technical skills should be able to follow it. Check for the testimonials to get a feel about how others think about the product. Check whether site gives you testimonial proofs (this is required to check whether these are genuine).
Investing few dollars for a proper guide(or a book) can be the most important decision you make in your entire project. There are two advantages of using a good guide. First it will save you money, time and effort in making your wind power system. Secondly it will make sure you achieve intended result.
Myth No 3 – It is Costly to Build a Wind Turbine on Your Own
People think it is costly to build a wind turbine. In fact some people will spend 1000’s of dollars in building them even without achieving the intended results. But in reality it is not that costly to build a wind turbine on your own even if you are not an expert. There are some guides which will show you how to build a residential wind power system for less than $200 in your own backyard.
Myth No 4 – It Is Noisy
Yes, wind mills make noise. But how much of noise is the question. A Good quality wind mill will only be loud as your refrigerator. In other words a good quality wind mill is very silent. To make your windmill noise free, you have to be careful in every step in building it. You will have to choose correct parts (No, Not expensive parts, but good quality parts) and you must follow a professional design.
Myth No 5 – It Will Reduce the Value of Your Property
Some people have reported drop in their property value after they build their wind systems. But some people have experienced exactly the opposite is true. Their property value has gone up when they built their wind mill. Interesting question is why any potential buyer should be upset for getting free electricity. It is mainly to do with the looks of your turbine. A wind turbine is the first thing anyone would see because it is a tall structure. So your wind turbine should look professional. A professional looking wind turbine will increase the value of your property, while silently saving you thousands of dollars every year.
If you were blinded by any of the myths above I believe now you are feeling relieved. Wind is a powerful energy source. It is one of the easiest and efficient ways of powering your home. Once you set up your residential wind power system, it will produce electricity for years to come with minimal maintenance.
