7 Things You Need to Check Before Buying a Solar Panel
While running your whole house on solar panels can be a very good investment, not every home is a good candidate for solar panels.
If you’re considering investing in a solar system for your home, there are a few things you need to know.
In this blog post, we will discuss 7 things you need to know before buying a solar panel!
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1. The state of your roof
The first thing you should do when considering installing solar panels on your home is to look at the condition of your roof. If there are any cracks or leaks in it, this could cause problems for the solar panel installation process.
If possible, get an estimate for repairing your roof before investing in solar panels. This way, you’ll know whether or not installing solar panels is the right decision for you financially.
2. Roof type & material
Not every roof is a good candidate for solar panels. If you have a shingle roof, for example, it’s not likely that installing solar panels will be worth your money.
In general, asphalt roofing is the best candidate for solar panel installations while slate is the worst.
However, if you have a slate roof, there may be some special considerations that need to be made prior to installing any solar panels.
These roofs usually require additional support from either railing mounted onto gutters.
To find out whether or not your roof is a good candidate for solar panels, you can contact a solar panel installation company in your area. They will be able to give you an estimate of how much it would cost to install solar panels on your home and tell you whether or not they think it would be worth your money.
3. Slope and direction of your roof
If your roof has a relatively steep slope, then it’s probably not worth installing solar panels. If you have a flat or low-slope roof, on the other hand, this may be an excellent investment for you!
The direction of your home will also determine how much sunlight hits the solar panel system during certain times of day and year. If your roof is facing south, you’ll get the most sunlight exposure.
4. Can your roof handle the panels’ weight?
Solar panels are quite heavy, so your roof needs to be able to handle their weight. If your roof is old or not very sturdy, it may not be able to support the solar panels.
In this case, you’ll need to either install a new roof that can handle the weight of the solar panels or find another spot on your property where you can install them.
5. Weather
Weather is another factor that will affect your solar panels’ performance.
You should consider how much sun exposure they get throughout the year and what kind of precipitation (snow, hail) might be on its way!
If it’s cloudy a lot where you live or if there are frequent storms with heavy winds, then installing solar panels may not be worth the large investment.
In areas where there’s less sun exposure, it will take longer for your solar panels to reach peak efficiency-and you won’t see any savings on your energy bill until they do so!
If precipitation accumulates heavily on top of solar panels, this can cause problems as well by blocking sunlight from reaching them (and therefore decreasing their efficiency).
6. Solar Panel Type
There are many different types of solar panels to choose from, and each one has its own pros and cons.
Monocrystalline cells are the most efficient type but also more expensive than other options out there.
if you’re looking for a cheaper option with lower efficiency rates then polycrystalline or might be a better choice for you.
Thin-film solar panels are the cheapest option but also have lower efficiency rates than other types of solar panels.
But if you have lots of free space, thin film solar panels can be a perfect choice.
7. Free breakers on your electric panel
Before installing your solar panels, you’ll need to make sure that there is enough space on the panel for them. If not, then an electrician will need to add a few extra breakers to your electric panel.
This is a relatively simple and inexpensive process, but it’s important to plan ahead so that you don’t run into any unexpected issues down the road.
Last Words
If you’re considering installing solar panels, then it’s important to do your research first so that you know exactly what steps need be taken before starting this project.
There are lots of factors involved in the decision-making process such as roof slope, weather patterns in your area and whether or not there is enough space on the electric panel for all of the new components added by solar panels.
We would also recommend going through quotes from different companies before deciding which one to work with as well as reading customer reviews about each company’s service quality.
Not only do price play an important role in choosing your contractor but it’s equally vital that you feel comfortable throughout the installation process itself!
