Tour to show off solar home Saturday

Going solar can be a complicated decision. What better way to decide than chat with someone who has had solar for more than a decade? On July 23, Laurie Ardison will be opening her home to show off her solar system to interested attendees.

Her system contains 32 75-watt solar panels mounted on three racks on her property. It provides all of her home’s electricity use. Her home is completely off the electric grid.

“We decided to go solar because we didn’t want to be connected to the grid,” Ardison said. “We wanted independence. It seemed like the right thing to do.”

Ardison has been pleased with her system, saying that in the past 14 years she’s not had any problem with it. Her system includes battery back up in addition to the panels. This has allowed her home to have uninterrupted electricity service with the panels.

Ardison designed her home to maximize energy efficiency. When she had the panels installed, her purchase included a refrigerator that runs on direct current. The home also runs on DC lighting. This was done to best utilize the DC current produced by the panels.

If you’d like to take a look at the system yourself and learn more about the system and Ardison’s home join us for the tour.

Details

When: July 23, 1-4 p.m.
Where: 3031 Lilydale-Back Creek Road, Greenville

For more information or directions, contact Autumn Long