Home Wind Power Considerations for Buyers

Here is an article about general energy-saving considerations for home buyers. After accounting for all these factors, home buyers might want to take the next step and jump on the home wind power bandwagon. But to maximize the benefits of a home wind power system, there are a few factors to consider.

Wind speeds: Dodge City, Kan., Amarillo, Texas, and Rochester, Minn., have the highest average wind speeds in the United States, according to the National Climatic Data Center. It's worth finding out the average wind speed in the city a home buyer is considering. Here is a federal listing of wind speeds in cities around the country. If the average wind speed is much below 10 mph, none of the other factors matter. A home wind turbine may be a questionable investment.

Location: "Location, location, location" is the mantra of real estate, but the mantra of home wind power systems is more like "speed, location, space." Even within a city, wind speeds can vary widely. A home in a small valley may not attract much wind (or it could attract plenty of wind whipping through the valley). Low wind is good for barbecues and bad for home wind turbines. It is also important to consider surrounding buildings and trees. A large tree could block the predominant local winds, and your potential neighbor may not want to cut down his old oak tree just to create a wind gap for your big turbine.

Space: Home wind turbines follow a cubic multiplication rule. Doubling the blade length will multiply electric generation by eight. The huge blades on commercial wind farms are not for aesthetics. They generate the maximum power. Home buyers should make sure they have enough open space on the roof or in the yard to install a home wind turbine without spinning large blades over the neighbors' property. Some installers won't mount wind turbines on a roof, and most recommend turbines in the yard, so you need a relatively large yard. At the same time, a home wind turbine should not be placed on the far edge of a large property. Electric output is quickly diminished in wires, so the turbine should not be too far from the battery or the house.

Restrictions: The city or a homeowners' association may prevent the installation of a home wind power system. Check before buying a home if you are really keen on putting up a home wind turbine.