The popularity of solar panels is higher than ever. As prices continue to decrease and efficiency increases, solar makes more sense than ever for homeowners.
And with solar tax credits continuing to offer incentives for homeowners, home solar installations increased by 34% in 2020. As time goes on, those numbers will likely increase even more.
Before you decide to install solar panels in your home, you must make some important considerations. Below are the things you should consider before investing in a solar panel installation.
1. Power Usage
Your power usage is the first thing to learn before you install solar panels. Different solar designs and systems can capture and store different amounts of energy, depending on the materials and setup used. If you pick the wrong one, you won’t be able to meet your power needs.
To ensure you get enough solar panels, you must determine how much power you use. Look at your power bills to see your average usage during the year. If you want to fully power your home at all times, you’ll need to find your maximum usage during that time.
You can use this information to determine how many solar panels you need and which type of panels will produce enough power.
2. Solar Exposure
Knowing how much power you need won’t be everything you need to know to determine how much power you must generate. Even if you purchase a high-efficiency solar panel, its effectiveness will change based on where you place it on your roof.
You’ll most likely get the best solar exposure from the south. But if you don’t have a way to get southern exposure, you won’t be able to get the full power from the sun.
Figure out where you’ll place your solar panels to see what efficiency you can expect. From there, you can determine precisely how much power to expect from your solar installation.
3. Roof Condition
One of the most significant issues homeowners face when installing solar panels is their roof. Solar panels are heavy and require support. If your roof is old or damaged, it may not be able to handle the load.
You’ll need a roof inspection to verify that your roof can handle everything. You may need to contact a solar company like Blue Raven Solar for an inspection to get this information.
If your roof can’t support solar panels, you’ll need a new one. This will factor into your solar installation cost and may not make it worth the trouble for some households.
4. Permitting
There are different rules for solar panels that depend on where you live. Every region has building codes determined by local authorities. What may be legal in one location may not be in another.
You need to learn these rules before installing solar panels. The first thing to check is if your local zoning rules allow installing solar panels on your roof.
If they are, you can then learn the rules that tell you how the installation should happen. You can work with a local solar installer to get the proper permits for the job. Once you have the required permits, you can perform the installation correctly and pass the building inspection.
5. Tax Rebates
Cost plays a big role in solar panel installation. Consumers make decisions based on what they can afford and their power requirements. In some cases, a person may get a smaller installation than they want because it costs more than their budget allows.
But some people fail to consider the tax rebates for solar installations when determining their budget. You’ll still pay the full price when you install your solar panels. However, you’ll recoup some of that money over time because of tax rebates.
Be sure to learn what rebates are available and how much they will lower your cost. Solar panels increase home value as well. The rebates may change your strategy and help you purchase a larger installation if you can cover the initial cost of solar panels.
6. Warranties
Since you’re spending so much on your solar installation, you need to get a guarantee for the equipment. The last thing you want is to pay extra money when things go wrong. Unfortunately, that does happen sometimes.
A warranty will guarantee service when you experience problems. If there was a mistake during installation or your hardware fails, your solar provider will back up their work and fix the problem.
There should also be a guarantee for solar production. Your solar installer can walk you through how much energy you should expect over the years and how much the efficiency will decrease over time. Most providers have a warranty to offer replacements if the panels don’t live up to what they promise.
7. Battery Systems
No matter how much energy you generate with solar panels, you won’t be able to power anything in the dark. Most people get around this by selling excess energy back to the power company. This provides credits that pay for energy you draw from the grid.
But this is a problem if you don’t want to rely on power companies. You’re still reliant on the grid, and if something goes wrong, you’ll be without power if a blackout occurs in your area.
You can get around this problem by getting battery packs. Battery storage has gotten much better over the years. This means that you can store much of your excess energy in a battery system.
Plan Your Solar Panels Installation Carefully
With how much money you’re going to spend on solar panels, you can’t afford to make mistakes when designing a solar system. This is a big deal because your needs and capabilities won’t be the same as everyone else. It will depend on your unique circumstances.
That’s why you should do everything possible to learn how to design a solar system that meets your needs. Remember the considerations above to create a solar design that helps you see the benefits of solar energy.
Do you have more updates for your home after installing solar? Check out the blog to find more tips that will help.