Here in the wine country of Sonoma County, we are faced with a growing wildfire season and people are looking for ways to get off the grid and keep their lights on during outages. Solar panels are an eco-conscious choice that helps save the environment and lessen your dependence on traditional electricity.

It is estimated that around 81 percent of the total energy consumed in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. If you want to contribute to sustainability, you need to decrease your dependency on energy produced by burning fossil fuels. You can achieve this objective by installing a solar panel.

A solar panel harnesses the sun’s energy, which is free and abundant. Your solar panel will not just benefit the environment, but also keep your pocket happy and enable you to keep the power on during planned and unplanned power outages.

Installing a solar panel is a major decision. In addition to committing upfront funds, you may also have to make changes to your property. Before you hire a solar company near you for solar panel installation, remember to seek answers to these questions.

What is the Condition of Your Roof?

Your solar panel will increase the amount of weight on your roof. If your roof’s structural integrity is compromised, address the problem before starting your solar panel installation project. If your roof is damaged or is nearing the end of its service life, repair or replace it.

Thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, work from home has become the new normal. An increasing number of people now rely on the Internet for education, work, and entertainment. Unfortunately, the internet and wireless networks are coming under immense pressure due to this surge in demand.

If you are living in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and your slow internet speed frustrates you, talk to a networking technician in Santa Rosa from Summit Technology Group. A Wi-Fi expert knows various tricks to speed up Wi-Fi. Not only will the professional fix your Internet, but will also discuss ways to boost your Wi-Fi performance.

One of the most important things that impact Wi-Fi quality is the way the Wi-Fi connection was set up. If you are planning to get a Wi-Fi connection, look for an expert installer. An installation expert is well aware of installation mistakes and plans their every installation keeping in mind roadblocks that the project may hit.

Tips to Speed Up Your Wi-Fi

Before you call an expert, try these tips to increase Wi-Fi speed and overall wireless quality:

Move Your Router

Oftentimes, Wi-Fi routers get stuck in the corners of homes, close to the wall where signals enter the home. This can be a problem as wireless networks use radio waves. They have limited range and are unable to penetrate walls.

A few small changes in everyday life can help you save dramatically on your power. These changes do not cost a dime, but they can add up to real-time energy savings over time. Listed below are a few tips from expert electrical contractors in Sonoma County that you can try to save energy, save money, and reduce your family’s impact on the environment.

1) Turn Off Fans When You Exit a RoomThis is a no-brainer. Fans do not work like air conditioners in that they do not cool a room. Fans blow still air, which often feels cool across your skin. In fact, the motor on your fans adds more heat to the room, making it sensible for you to turn it off when you leave a room.

How to do so? As with the lights and electronics, when you leave a room, be sure to turn off the fan too. This not only helps save energy but also sets a good example for the younger generation to follow.

2) Drop Window Shades and Close Drapes During DaytimeWhen you drop the window shades during the day, it helps keep the sunlight out and thus cools the house considerably. During winter, doing the reverse would help let sunshine seep in.

How to do so? Moving your furniture around each season will not only give your house a new look but also is a neat way to take advantage of the sun or to avoid the sun. For instance, setting a table by a large French window makes way for a cozy spot to enjoy your breakfast on a chilly winter day.

Like most parts of the US, California’s energy industry has been in a constant state of transformation. This has been catalyzed by a dramatic increase in clean energy owing to a multitude of technological innovations. The state has been in the limelight for its efforts in increasing the storage and use of renewable energy to meet climate goals.

Pacific Gas & Electric has joined hands with the state in its efforts to bring down greenhouse emissions and fight climate change. While the Trump administration decided to roll back its efforts to combat climate change, California has taken a different approach and is actively fighting global warming.

In an effort to make this a reality, the Governor of California also signed a new climate change law. This bill requires that at least 50% of the state’s electricity be powered by renewable resources by 2025 and about 60% by 2030. California strives to rely entirely on zero-emission energy sources for its electricity needs by 2045. It also hopes to achieve carbon neutrality, removing as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it emits by that same year. This will take time, but it is a goal the state intends to achieve.

California is not alone in this pursuit. Hawaii has also established an ambitious renewable electricity goal for 2045.

Energy storage systems and a well-connected transmission grid can help support these goals. Several US cities, including Burlington, Vermont; Aspen, Colorado; and Georgetown, Texas, have already attained 100% renewable electricity.