5 Important Things To Consider Before Going Solar

Every year, more and more people are interested in solar panels for good reasons. The system cost is now a lot cheaper than it was. It cuts off electricity bills. It allows you to be independent from the grid. And helps protect the environment. These are just few of the exciting advantages you can get when installing solar panels in your home or business establishment.

However, like any other investment, installing solar panels should be think through before putting out money. Having your own renewable energy from the sun may have amazing benefits but it also has some drawbacks. For instance, its high upfront cost may not be worthwhile for the money you will saved from electricity bills. Or you may not generate sufficient energy because of your house location.

It’s crucial to make sure that your house and circumstances are suitable for solar panels to make the investment worthwhile.  To help you decide whether going solar is good for you, here is a list of important things to consider before installing a solar energy system.

Location. This is the first thing you should think of when going solar. It would determine whether you can generate large amount of energy from the sun or not. Solar panels are climate dependent. Therefore, it’s critical that your house is located in a sunny area. With no tall buildings and trees nearby that would shadow your roof from the sun. Because this can greatly affect the panels’ energy production and output.

Roof. Since most solar panels are installed on the roof, it’s important to inspect it thoroughly to make sure that your rooftop is fit for solar panel installation. There are three things to look into on your roof before putting up the panels.

• Condition. Solar panels are heavy. Approximately 20 kilogram each. Installing multiple panels on the roof requires a sturdy foundation. If your roof needs renovation, it’s best to prioritize that first before putting up the solar panels. You wouldn’t want the roof to collapse and damage the expensive system you just installed.
• Type. Unfortunately, not all roof types are ideal for solar panels. Many installers find it difficult to work with wood or slate roofing because they break and shatter easily. These types of roof may require installation of extra layer of underlayment to support the panels. This means extra cost for more work and time spent on the installation. The most ideal roof type for solar panels is asphalt shingle roofing because they are durable and flexible.
• Direction. Your roof should be facing to the direction where it will have optimal sun exposure during the day. For instance, if you are in the northern hemisphere of the Earth, your roof should be facing south. On the other hand, if you are in the southern hemisphere, your roof should be facing north. This maximizes the panels’ capacity to produce energy.

System cost and energy usage. The total system cost including the installation fee is expensive. It’s important to compare this with your energy usage to determine how long it will take before the system investment will pay off. To have an idea on when can you expect return of investment; subtract the federal tax credit from the total system cost. Then divide the difference with your annual electricity bill. From here, you can see how long is your payback period. Usually it would take 4 to 6 years. The following years will be your ROI. Solar system can last for up to 25 years or even more.

Off-grid or grid-tied. Off-grid means being independent from power lines. You have to invest for batteries to store your produced energy for later use. This means you can enjoy a zero electricity bill. Grid-tied on the other hand is still attached to the power lines of utility grid. This allows you to store your generated energy to the utility grid. The utility company will then give bill credits for the energy your system produced. This means reduction of your electricity bills. If you generated excess energy than you can consume, the utility company can even pay you for the energy contributed in the power line. But a zero bill is not possible on grid-tied solar panels. The utility company will still charge a minimum amount for maintenance fee even if you are generating more energy than you need. Many people prefer grid-tied system as solar batteries are expensive.

Future plans. Do not limit your goal on what you need in the present. Include your future plans when deciding for solar panels. What if you’ll have more kids in the next years to come? Or more appliances? Or an e-vehicle? Consider having an extra space in the roof that you can use to add more solar panels if necessary.

Many governments provide tax credits and rebates for solar panel installation. It’s helpful to ask your local government about it to know how much money you can get back after the installation and whether they offer other incentives you can take advantage of.

Isabella Whitmore is an article writer about home, lifestyle, and environment. She works at https://electrickettlesplus.com, an appliance website that offers energy saving electric kettles.