How to Know If Your Home Qualifies for Solar Panel System Installation

As a homeowner, keeping the bills down is an ideal goal. Utilities can be expensive, especially when extreme temperatures hit and appliances such as the air conditioner and heater are working extra hard to keep you comfortable. It’s hard enough cutting down on appliance use and actually seeing the results in your next bill. What can you do? Perhaps it’s time to consider solar panel installation. Homeowners want to enjoy the convenience and comfort of their homes without having to compromise their lifestyle. Solar panels not only provide your home with a source of clean and renewable energy, but you can expect to earn tax credits and even rebates from your utility company. If you plan to sell your home, then you can expect your house resale value to increase by almost $6,000 per installed kilowatt!

Need More Convincing?

Maybe you’re more concerned about where you live and if solar panels are even a cost effective option, that’s understandable. Something to keep in mind is that solar panels will still produce energy even on cloudy days. Most locations where the sun rarely comes out, can still expect about 2 hours of sunlight a day. Some solar installers will even provide a ‘no-cost installation’ where they pay to install the panels themselves and charge for the electricity generated at a reduced rate. Essentially, solar installers are leasing your roof for their solar panels, and you, the homeowner, get to enjoy your electricity at a discounted price.

Eager to Get Started with Solar Panel Installation?

The idea of having something continuously generate electricity and save you money is a very exciting prospect, but it’s important to make sure your home meets the necessary qualifications. It’s not just about the size of your roof, it’s also important to consider your energy needs. When you’re ready to get started, the solar provider can make the calculations for you, but there a few things to consider before you make arrangements.

• What’s your roof load? It’s important to know how much weight your roof can support, especially depending on the size of the installed solar panel system.
• How big is your roof? Does your roof have a big enough surface to accommodate solar panels?
• Will you need a permit? It’s likely you will need a permit from your city or county building department. Either a building or electrical permit, or both. Usually the solar provider will take care of it, adding the permit price into the overall cost.
• What are the average hours of sunlight in a given day? Whereas solar panels do continue to produce energy even in filtered, or indirect sunlight. It’s still important to understand how much electricity you can expect to receive from your solar panels.

What Next?

If you’re ready to upgrade your home, you’ll need to contact a solar panel installer. There are two types of solar panel systems: off-grid and grid connected. Off-grid solar panel systems are stand alone panels that aren’t connected to a utility company. A grid connected solar panel system means the panels installed are connected to your utility company. On cloudy days, when there isn’t enough sun provided, the homeowner can then draw energy from the grid, and on sunny days, any excess energy is purchased by the utility company. Some grid-connected systems come with a battery backup for a steady supply of electricity.

What’s Solar Panel Maintenance Like?

Once you have your solar panel system installed, you can expect a 25-30 year warranty. Even beyond their life expectancy, solar panels can still produce energy. It takes a long time for solar panels to deteriorate. The good news is that solar panels don’t require a lot of maintenance, and are easy to care for. The main problem, however, is because the solar panels are sitting on top of your roof, they’re susceptible to damage. To make sure your system lives up to its warranty, it’s important to look out for the following warning signs.

• If there’s a sudden decrease in power produced. Cloudy and rainy days means less energy produced, but if you notice an overall decrease in electricity, even on sunny days, something might need repairing.
• If you find cracks on the panels. Because they’re on-top your roof and exposed to all types of weather and debris, cracks can be the result. It’s important to get any cracks repaired before water gets inside and destroys the panels.
• If you notice any power fluctuations. If you notice any sort of fluctuations in electricity generated, this could mean some wiring inside the panels needs repairing.

Enjoy the Benefits

If you want to catch on with home trends, solar panels are definitely one of them. Not only can you enjoy pocketing some extra cash from rebates and tax credits, but you’re helping an important cause. Solar energy is clean energy, which means you’re helping to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and our dependency on finite, non-renewable resources. Don’t wait to save money, invest in solar panels.

If you’re interested in scheduling a solar panel installation, then don’t wait and call Air Tech Pros today!