Ask the Right Questions When Choosing Solar

When choosing solar, it’s important to make sure you ask the right questions to get the perfect solar system for your home. No two solar systems are the same, and you’ll need to make sure the one you choose appropriately accommodates your home. Everything from the angle of your roof to the material it’s made out of can change the efficiency of a solar system. Keep reading to learn exactly which questions you should be asking when you decide to go solar.

Which direction does your roof tilt?

Because of the United States’ situation on the globe concerning the sun, south-facing roofs are the most fruitful for solar, followed by west-facing and then east-facing roofs. North-facing roofs are the least pleasing for solar, and many consumers rule them out.

Is there a lot of shadows on your roof?

Ideally, the sun will shine on your panels for at least five hours a day. If trees, hills or other structures block the sun from reaching your roof, that’s a dilemma.

Is your roof big enough for your solar panel system?

You require about 100 square feet of area per kilowatt of solar system. An average household solar system is five kilowatts, 20 panels, in size. So, for that, you’d need approximately 500 square feet of area.

Does your roof have an appropriate tilt?

The perfect angle for solar panels is 30 degrees, but they can get installed on roofs reaching from zero to 45 degrees. Solar panels for flat roofs are installed on slanted racks. If your roof is very steeply tilted, the sun may not approach the far side. Investigate your roof throughout the day to see what’s happening up there.

What kind of roof do you have?

It’s almost effortless to install solar panels are on asphalt shingles or corrugated metal roofs. Placing them on slate or tile roofs is more complicated and expensive. Your jurisdiction may not approve solar panels on a wood shake roof because that’s a possible fire hazard.

Is your roof old and damaged?

Solar systems are regularly warrantied to last for 25 to 30 years. That indicates your roof should have many years of life remaining when you install solar panels. Otherwise, you’ll have to remove them when you replace it momentarily, which adds to the expense.

Do you know how large of a system you need?

Be advised that salespeople can be overly positive about how much power a solar system will produce. That’s why you should run the amounts yourself using the Energy Department’s impartial PVWatts Calculator. The average five-kilowatt system generates an average of 7,000-kilowatt hours per year.

Do you plan to live in your house for as long as the panels will last?

It’s beneficial if you plan to stay in your home long enough for the solar panels to pay for themselves because it’s hard to foretell how much potential buyers will value solar panels and whether you’ll recoup your expense.

Don’t forget to ask your installer questions, too.

Don’t be afraid to ask your solar installer a lot of questions, too. Even if it sounds silly in your head, a solar system is a decades-long investment, and you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best solar system you can.

Want to learn more about bringing solar energy into your life? Check out the HahaSmart blog for daily updates!

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