We Put Outdoor Solar Lights Inside Our House
Did you go without electricity this year because of the ice storms? After hearing about the 500,000 stuck without electricity in Oklahoma and throughout the Midwest, we decided to do something about this, so we wouldn't be in the same predicament.
Outdoor Solar Lights
We've had a set of outdoor solar lights outside our house for 3 years now, and thought, "Why not put outdoor solar lights "inside" the house? The Malibu solar kits are very affordable, and easy to install.
We thought we were going to have to get huge solar panels to install on the roof, but no, you don't have to do this. Here's a cheap way. The kits are only $39.95. Be sure to buy some before the prices for them go up!
Putting the Outdoor Lights Indoors
Our first set of outdoor solar lights we bought in Connecticut at Home Depot. Now that we live in South Dakota, we went to Menards Home Improvement and they had some too. We bought 3 sets. A set for the basement, a set for the kitchen, and a set for upstairs. Then we got a special set for the living room and bathroom that was $17.00. But we had to do some customizing.
We set the small solar panels in the windows facing south toward the sun. Here's one in the basement window, one in the hall closet window, and one upstairs. The one in the hall closet gives light to the steps going upstairs, the kitchen, and the steps by the backdoor. We hung the ones in the basement to light up the sitting area, the woodstove area, and the washer/dryer area.
Now we don't have to turn on the lights to go upstairs, or to go into the kitchen, or to go outside, or going into the basement. Today we let the sun charge the batteries, and voila! as soon as it got dark all the lights turned on. It is so cool. It is not enough light to read, they are LED's and more like a nightlight. Just one of the lights light the whole kitchen if we point it toward the ceiling because the light bounces off the white ceiling.
The Benefits
Here's some Benefits that I can see using solar lights inside your house.
1. You will lower your electricity bill
2. You're not having to switch lights on and off to go up or down stairs, etc.
3. They make great nightlights
4. You will have light if the electricity goes out.
5. Security. When you are on a trip, you have lights on in the house at night.
6. You won't have to buy bulbs, or expensive solar panels
7. You're helping the environment.
8. The solar lights will last longer inside the house, because they are not exposed to weather.
9. If you go out shopping and don't come home till evening, then lights will be on when you get home.
In Conclusion we are absolutely delighted with the solar lights in our house. And what a relief it is knowing that if we lose electricity, that we will not be depending on flashlights and candles.
We would like to recommend that you do the same thing to your house.