Your solar expert ought to be able to walk you through this process, giving all of the information accessible to you and guaranteeing that you possess the required info.
More people are switching to the greener side for economic and eco-friendly reasons. This is one of the major reasons why the solar industry is growing so rapidly. Every homeowner is ready to invest in residential solar panel installation services but doesn’t know where to start. They are juggling with a lot of questions.
- What are the things that need to be considered before installing solar panels?
- What will be the cost incurred?
- What are the challenges?
And so on.
Don’t worry! We have got everything covered for you.
In this comprehensive guide, we have curated a list of five mindful tips that will help you prepare your home for a solar panel installation.
Continue reading to learn what they are.
How to prepare your home for solar panel installation?
Evaluate how much electricity you want to generate
When you approach solar energy companies, the very first question they ask is, “How much of your energy bill would you like to cut with solar energy?”
This is a very basic and important step. The requirement for energy consumption varies from home to home. You can’t compare the number of solar panels installed in your home with someone else’s from home to home. You can’t compare the number of solar panels installed in your home with someone else’s. So the first and foremost thing is to analyze your energy needs.
Secondly, there is a limit to the number of solar panels allowed by state law in some areas. And it is restricted to 100% of your total electricity consumption. The reason for this is that some people install more panels than they need and then resell them. Furthermore, generating as close to 100% of your needs as possible is thought to be the most cost-effective option.
Thirdly, all these installations come at a cost. So, if you are planning for the short term, then implementing 100% of the solar systems may not be the right financial decision. In such a case, go for a moderately sized solar system that will fit your budget as well as help you save some potential bucks.
All of this, however, is possible if you accurately assess your electricity demand. So, go home and grab your bill. Take a good look at the numbers. And decide how much KWh you want to save in the future. If you are not able to figure it out yourself, call a solar panel company and present your goals. They will analyze your needs and offer you an efficient plan.
Consider the site inspection
Next comes the location where the solar panels will be installed. To maximize the efficiency of your system, it is imperative that the area have constant exposure to sunlight. For example, in the northern part, the south-facing area is the ideal area. However, if this area is covered with shaded trees or has huge neighboring side walls, you may install your place on the east- or west-facing side. Even if they are only exposed for a fraction of the time, it is still preferable to no sunlight at all. You can also make up for this shortfall by purchasing additional panels at a low cost.
Moreover, if there is no possibility of installing panels on a roof, you can go with the ground-mount system. For this, take a good inspection of your property and locate a good region where there is a constant blessing of sunlight.
To maintain maximum efficiency and lower the installation cost, try to install the system as close as possible to the utility area. This reduces worker costs while also ensuring that no energy is lost while traveling the distance.
You can always give the solar panel installers a call. They can help you in a more optimized way.
Examine how much weight your roof is ready to carry
If you are planning on installing a solar panel system on your roof, then make sure you get it examined first. As per the thumb rule, each panel weighs around 1.1 kg to 1.2 kg.
It is necessary to know whether your roof can support additional weight just in case. For an inspection, you can either call a professional civil engineer or a building inspector.
Sometimes, roofs are found to be adequately supported with no additional work required. But sometimes, they are found to be old and require maintenance. In some cases, their lives are about to end.
So, why are we bringing this up? Because this is an additional cost you may incur when installing a solar panel system on your roof. However, installing the roof-top system will actually add durability to your roof’s shelf life and protect it from extreme weather conditions.
Moreover, this whole inspection step gets eliminated when you hire a solar panel specialist. They complete the inspection process on your behalf.
Decide, would you like to include solar batteries?
Solar batteries may increase the reliability and safety of your solar installation. If you opt to invest, you will have access to a finite quantity of power even if the network falls down.
As grid-connected photovoltaic systems are obliged to shut down whenever the electricity goes out, your solar panel will not be delivering light to your house. Adding a battery backup, on the other hand, will allow you to draw on the electricity saved in your batteries till the grid is restored.
These batteries, however, come at an additional cost. So, it’s entirely your call. You can look at your budget and weigh the pros and cons of “should you add solar batteries?” and then make a sound decision.
Know the available incentives
Solar incentives assist in reducing the price of your solar installation, and based on your eligibility, they might significantly impact you.
The 25% solar installation tax incentive is the most frequently accessible reward. This lets you deduct 25% of the price of your energy system from your tax liability. It is available to everyone who has installed solar panels and pays income tax.
Furthermore, you may be eligible for federal, regional, or local incentives. You should investigate what incentives are available and be ready to complete the necessary paperwork.
Your solar expert ought to be able to walk you through this process, giving all of the information accessible to you and guaranteeing that you possess the required info. Also, keep in mind your solar expert is not an accountant. So, before bringing up any proposal, ensure what you are signing up for. This is a vital step to guarantee that you can take advantage of any available tax breaks.
Check your federal and local regulations
Check the federal and local compliances before installing solar panels at your home. Additionally, you are required to gain permission from the utility department.
You may find this whole approval process a little overwhelming and time-consuming. Everything from the system design to the equipment needed to the building plan requires a lot of paperwork. In such cases, it is better to have your solar panel specialist take the lead and let him talk to the authorities. Meanwhile, be aware of what is being submitted on your behalf and have a brief knowledge of it.
Moreover, if your system generates an excess amount of electricity, you will be required to look into the utility’s compensation form. In most states, it is a mandatory process, and the extra electricity produced is directed to the utility grid. This process is called net metering. The grid then distributes the electricity to those who require it. The best part is that you will be rewarded for your efforts with power (KW-H) credits. So, in case, at any time, the power cuts off in your home, you can draw electricity with those credits.
However, keep in mind that not all states follow this process. So, be aware of all these policies and regulations.
Final Words: Preparing your home for solar installation
Preparing your home for a solar panel installation can seem a daunting and overwhelming task. But if you do it right, it is simple and fun.
Let’s summarize it once again:
- First, evaluate your electricity needs and decide how large or small of a solar system you would like to install.
- Next, does your budget allows you to add solar batteries? – a good robust and reliable backup in case the power cuts off.
- Where do you want to install the solar power system – on the roof or on the ground? If it’s the roof, is it capable of supporting additional weight? If yes, it’s good. If not, be ready to cover the additional costs.
- Check the local and state compliance requirements. Also, check the utility incentives if available.
Once the above-mentioned is settled, ensure that the solar panelist you have contacted is able to reach your home location.
Always remember, all this hustle can be eradicated if you hire a reliable and professional solar lead expert. He can take care of all your requirements with minimal input required on your behalf.
About the Author:
Aryan Tiwari is a dedicated SEO executive in JoomDev, one of the rapidly growing IT companies. He is passionate about SEO and content marketing. He has helped many online businesses to rank better on search results.
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