We’ve already discussed some of the major improvements you can make in your home to take advantage of solar energy. Installing solar panels, a solar water heater or a sunroom are big projects when going solar for your home, and they will reap big rewards. However, if you’re not up to doing the work yourself, these projects could become a bit pricey.

Don’t worry, there are still many do-it-yourself solar projects you can tackle that are less expensive and easier to implement.

If home security is a concern, you can easily install a motion detecting security floodlight. Since you don’t have to worry about electrical power, you can attach it to your house, garage, shed, etc.

Have you ever gone up to your attic on a hot summer’s day? Temperatures up there can reach 160 degrees and bathe your home in warmth you don’t need in the summer. A great investment is a solar powered attic fan, and if you’re not afraid of heights you can do the installation yourself. It draws the super heated air out of your attic and works really well in keeping your home cooler so you won’t need to run the A/C as often.

Now comes the opposite of using solar for your home. Here’s a project that can help you reduce your cooling costs during the summer. It’s nothing fancy or cutting edge. It’s about putting up awnings to block the sun from heating up the interior of your home. Most are retractable so you just roll them up in the wintertime when you want the heat.

The great thing about window awnings, as opposed to shades, is that you can still let the light in and view the outdoors. In addition, with indoor shades the heat of the sun still enters your home. The heat builds up between the window and the shade and eventually seeps into your living area.

Patio awnings are another great way to block the sun from entering your house that would normally come through the patio door windows. They will also provide shade and keep the patio cooler so you can use it more often during the summertime.

Not everything solar has to have a practical purpose. There are many decorative uses for solar energy as well. If you have a nice front lawn or back yard, you may want to add some elegance with a solar water fountain. It constantly recycles water from a hidden reservoir, no operating expense at all. If you love birds, they will love this.

This is just a small sampling of how you can  implement solar for your home without breaking the bank.

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