For those who are considering building or installing domestic wind turbines, I have gathered a few interesting nuggets from experts around the web.

1. Most home wind turbines don’t eliminate the need for your power company.

This is a common misconception, but without any energy efficiency measures, the average household will still have to pay for electricity. However, it is still worth the effort so long as you have done your homework. You might even want to consider dramatically reducing your electricity needs by installing a wood burning stove to heat your home.

2. When surveyed, 49% of turbine owners believed they’d reduced their electricity bills, but 39% hadn’t.

This can often put people off installing a turbine, but really it just underlines the importance of doing thorough research before you start. Wind turbines are very sensitive to the quality of the wind, not just the strength. They only really work when they are positioned where there is a good fast flow of air with little turbulence. This brings me on to the next point….

3. As a general rule, you should install your turbine at least 30 feet above any obstacle within a 300 foot radius.

I found this tip on the Bergey website (a turbine manufacturer). It’s well worth reading the whole article as part of your pre-installation research: – http://www.bergey.com/School/Primer.html

4. DIY enthusiasts have build their own domestic wind turbines for less than $200.

This is possible since many of the components are available from normal hardware stores. One of the most expensive parts of a turbine is the generator, but old DC motors of eBay work surprisingly well with a fraction of the cost.

5. A poll showed that 59% of turbine owners said their turbines had been reliable.

Many domestic wind turbines on the market are not up to the task. If they have not been engineered properly they can wear out prematurely or even be destroyed in high winds. With so much money at stake, it pays to find a reputable manufacturer that offers a long warranty. If possible try to get a 5 year warranty as these tend to be constructed of higher quality components.