While most people think of solar panels that produce electricity or solar hot water heaters, there are other types of solar home units. Solar home panels and solar hot water heaters may be expensive to install and require wiring and in the case of the water heater, plumbing. They may be a bit complex for the homeowner who does it himself. However there are other solar units that are actually simple to install and still save energy.
If you have ever wanted a fountain or water feature in your garden or yard, solar units are good news. They don't require any pipes or electricity from your home. They are stand alone and produce enough energy with solar to run themselves. Some of these units may only run during the day. Others are designed with storage cells and will run even when the sun isn't out with the energy they have stored during the day.
There are also pool heaters that work entirely from solar power. The installation is simpler than with units that are wired into you house electrical. Pumps and aerators are made to run on solar power as well.
Outdoor lighting can be expensive to install, but you still want lights in your garden or along your driveway. Solar outdoor lights come in dozens of styles to complement any home and they don't require wiring. You simply push them into the ground and they operate by themselves. These are so easy and inexpensive to install that any homeowner can do it himself.
Another relatively inexpensive and simple to install stand alone home solar unit is a fan. These work especially well in attics since the roof is the best place for a solar panel to collect the most energy, but they can also be used in individual rooms, particularly those with a south facing wall. In these cases the panel would be on the outside wall of the house.
There are several types of solar cookers available. They are most widely used in 3rd world countries where sunshine is plentiful and water quality is questionable. These stand alone units can heat water to temperatures which render it safe to drink. They can also be used to heat water for hot drinks and cook or heat simple foods. Solar home units for cooking don't maintain a steady dependable temperature and may not be usable at night, but they are ideal for camping. The units are light weight and require no fuel and can easily be fit into a backpack.
There are also electric fences and pest control devices that run on solar energy and don't require any complex installation. The fences usually have storage cells and conventional batteries in case there isn't enough sunlight to keep them running during the night.
Installing a home solar unit doesn't have to be expensive or difficult if you chose to install stand alone units. Even if the light fixtures cost a little more, you save a lot on the installation since they don't require underground wiring. You never have to worry about turning them on and off, since they come on automatically at sunset and stay on until daylight or until the power runs out. They also don't add to your electric bill. Maybe you should start your transition to solar power by thinking small with home solar units.