The popularity of solar energy has risen because of the many benefits and incentives that go along with it.
However, if your solar panels are not installed correctly, you may find your energy savings are not nearly as high as they could be. In order to avoid making a costly mistake, it is important to know what to avoid doing when installing solar panels.
Here’s a quick guide on some of the most common errors in solar installations, so you can make sure your solar panels are as efficient as possible.
- Ignoring the Structure of Your Roof
Solar panels are often installed on a house’s roof to ensure as much sunlight as possible is converted into energy.
Solar panel systems are heavy, typically weighing around three to four pounds per square foot. If the structure of your roof isn’t strong enough, you may find yourself needing to get roof repairs after installing the solar panels.
These repairs are much more expensive than doing the necessary work on your roof ahead of time, so make sure a professional has examined your roof and its structural integrity first.
- Trying to Install Solar on Your Own
Installing solar panels isn’t easy. Not only do you have to securely mount the equipment and do the wiring, but you also have to make sure it is placed in a way that optimizes energy production.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, you may find yourself making an expensive mistake and losing out on major savings. By using a good solar installation service, you can be sure your solar panels are optimized for maximum energy.
- Choosing the Wrong Solar Installers
While hiring solar installers is recommended, you have to make sure you choose the right ones.
Using solar installers that are far cheaper than average may mean they do not have the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience to do a high-quality installation.
If this is the case, they may frequently have errors in solar installations, and your solar panels may not be as efficient.
However, that doesn’t mean you want to go with the most expensive option either. Many national installers may offer quality service, but it is often twice the price of the actual system.
Instead, it is often better to choose a local solar installation company that has a high amount of experience and is highly skilled at what they do.
- Buying Cheap Solar Panels
Even if you have a small solar installation budget, choosing cheap solar panels is not the best idea. The less money you are willing to spend on your solar panels, the less money you can expect to save.
In idea, when you go cheap, it will not take as long to meet the payback point with solar.
However, cheap solar panels tend to need frequent repairs, or they need to be replaced more often. Cheap panels sometimes only last a few months, and even if they do last longer, frequent trips to the repair shop are not ideal.
That being said, sometimes the small solar cells are more efficient than big cells, so it is important to not judge quality by the size and cost of a solar panel system.
- Poor System Design
Unless you are already an expert at solar installation, it is difficult to figure out how to optimize your residential solar system to absorb the most sunlight possible.
In order to get the most energy savings from your residential solar system, there are a variety of factors that need to be considered. To optimize your savings, you need to consider panel orientation and location, climate, natural efficiency drop, and much more.
It is essential that your solar panels are installed in an area and at an angle that maximizes the energy input from sunlight. This is why solar panels are often installed on a roof, as the shade from trees and nearby buildings will not block the sun.
- Inadequately Gauging Energy Needs
Installing a residential solar system will not automatically cover all your energy needs. Depending on the type of solar system you purchased and your overall energy consumption, it can take some time before you see major energy savings.
This is especially true when people miscalculate their energy consumption.
Your energy consumption determines how many solar panels you need. However, many people overlook certain sources of power consumption, like kitchen appliances and air conditioners. This provides an inaccurate estimate of how much energy a household actually needs.
If your residential solar system does not have enough panels or wattage for your household’s energy consumption, then your house can’t be entirely solar-dependent.
- Missing Out on Incentives
One of the most appealing reasons to install solar panels is the incentives that are offered.
There are federal and often state and local incentives available to those who install a residential solar system on their roof. Depending on where you live, you can potentially cover a high amount of the overall investment cost of your solar panels.
Avoiding Errors in Solar Installations
When there are errors in solar installations, it can be costly.
Anything from having the wrong angle on your panels to installing them on a roof that isn’t structurally sound can cost you money. To prevent this from happening, make sure you use an experienced, skilled solar installation service that understands how to optimize solar panel designs.
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