Green Living

Shelley Ferguson reveals the relatable reason why she’s choosing solar power

Article by Homes to Love

Shelley Ferguson reveals the relatable reason why she’s choosing to install solar panels in her home and we’re feeling inspired

Shelley Ferguson reveals the relatable reason why she’s choosing solar power

Confession: I’m a naturalist. Not in the history student or nudist camp sense. I’m just utterly inspired and in awe of the natural environment surrounding us here in beautiful Aotearoa (time spent in traffic excluded). Which is why (after three DIY renos and house moves, saving our dollars and cutting back on my shoe obsession) I’m delighted to own a home with a connection to nature that I’ve always dreamed of.

I call her The Blue Lady – a soaring mid-century gem surrounded in palm trees. She looks out onto the ocean in front, native bush one side and a swimming pool at the rear (let’s skip over the giant dull fence down the other side). While she’s structurally sound, our Blue Lady needs a bit of upgrading – she’s been around since 1960 after all. So hubby and I are rolling up our sleeves and giving her a modern day Palm Springs-inspired makeover. While we’re pretty good at DIY, there are things on our list that I’ve blacklisted Steve from attempting – upgrading insulation, getting double glazing and most importantly, efficient heating. Our home sits in a natural bowl with a flat roof typical of 1960s architecture, so from the moment we moved in I’ve wanted to get solar.

Why? Since becoming a mum, I’m acutely aware of having a dry, healthy home for my boys. Last winter was our first living in this home, and while we love the extra space and double height glass windows we really felt the cold. We spent months cranking the heat pumps, turning on electric blankets and layering on jumpers, and while snuggling with my boys under a blanket on the couch is one of my favourite winter past times I quickly decided heating was a priority.

I see solar like Mother Earth giving your home a giant warm hug. It’s like stepping into a hot shower after watching your kid’s soccer game from the sidelines during a polar blast, or wrapping yourself in a warm fluffy towel fresh from the dryer – it feels good mentally and physically. We’re in the middle of renovating our pool area and outdoor space, so the timing is right to sort out a system pre-winter. So I was pretty excited to see HRV launch their solar range, and quick to investigate.

Turns out the HRV Solar system is really simple to install and use. They take care of the design, installation and setup. Panels on the roof capture the sun’s light, clever inverters convert this into energy to power the home, and a smart panel installed on a wall allows you to track the detail. All this works with our existing electrical system and we can stay with our current electricity supplier, so the logistics are easy. Then it’s a matter of letting nature work its magic.

So guess what? We’re getting it! The lovely Leon from HRV has visited and given our house the big tick of approval, and installation will happen over the next month. I’ll keep you posted on my journey here on Homes To Love, so if you’ve been considering solar you can see if it might work for you. Bring on the sun!

For more information on installing solar power visit: hrvsolar.co.nz

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