Installing a solar system could be the best decision you will make for your home and family. While there are different kinds of houses, there are also many options in which you can incorporate solar power into your household.
When deciding to use solar power for your house’s energy needs, some factors can help you assess if your homes are suited for installing solar system equipment.
Below are some of these factors.
Home Ownership
If you own your house, then installing solar panels would not be a problem. But if you are renting, you need to ask approval first from the owners before you can fix anything on your rented house. You can convince the owners of letting you install a solar system by discussing to them about the benefits of using solar power. These reasons may include savings, environmental conditions, incentives, and tax credits.
Condition of your Roof
As the roofs are the ideal location to install solar panels, the roof’s condition plays a vital role in the success of solar system installation.
- Lifespan. Before installing, you must determine how long was the roof been installed. This process is essential because if it has already been there for a long time, it may not be sturdy anymore to hold the panels securely. Changing the roof will also be better to match the kind of solar equipment best for your roof.
- Type of Roof. The kind of materials that the roof is made of also matter. The materials may be asphalt, clay tile, metal, rubber, slate, and wood. Among these materials, wood and slate are the most difficult to do the installation because they are brittle, delicate, and need to be handled carefully.
- Installation Space. Within your roof, there are structures like chimneys, dormers, and vents which could take up some of the space for installation. These structures can limit the number of panels you can install in your roof, preventing you from maximising your solar system.
- Roof Angle. The recommended best tilting angle for solar panels is between 30-45 degrees. It is also possible to install panels on a flat roof, but maintenance would be an issue as it cannot do self-cleaning. If it is also tilted too much, it cannot receive enough sunlight for maximum energy production.
- Roof Orientation. South-facing roofs are the ideal type, but roofs facing the west or east direction can receive sunlight as much. If the panels receive enough sunlight when facing any direction, then the direction of the roof will not be an issue.
Availability of an Open Space
There are houses or roofs that solar panels cannot be installed because of specific issues. But installing solar panels is still possible if you have an open space within your backyard or garden. Solar panels can be mounted on the ground also. Ground-mounted solar panels are easy to position and maintain.
Shading
If your house is shaded by trees or other structures mostly during the day, then it is not advisable to install panels without finding first a solution for this shading issue. But if shading only occurs at some time, you can still enjoy the use of solar energy by adding micro inverters or power optimisers to compensate for the loss of sunlight during shading.
Electricity Expenses
If you spend much on electricity bills, installing panels would be the best option to save up. On the other hand, if your energy bills are low, you can still save up on solar though it will take much longer to see its results.
Solar System Cost
The cost of installing a solar system in your area can also help you decide whether to proceed with the installation. Even though installation may cause much, there are now many options on how you can enjoy solar power with minimal expense.
Solar Incentives
In different states, incentives are being offered to homeowners if they decide to install solar panels. These incentives can be through net metering, where you will be compensated for the excess electricity you forward to the grid, rebates, tax credits, and performance based-incentives.
Is your home is solar-ready, so what are the next steps?
If you’re shopping for solar for your property, solar-ready or not, we recommend that you sign up for a Solar Shop Online account to get our latest promos and snag our best deals. You can request for a quote by calling us at 1300 620 290 or emailing us at info@solarshoponline.com.au.