You have decided to install solar panels and you have picked a company to install them for you, how does the process work? What are the next steps? In this series, we will lay out the different steps involved in getting a residential solar system.

The first steps in a solar installation

You have decided to install solar panels and you have picked a company to install them for you, how does the process work? What are the next steps? In this series, we will lay out the different steps involved in getting a residential solar system. The process does not happen overnight, but the wait is worth it.

Overall, from the day you sign your contract with your installer, it will typically take between one and three months before your solar panels are grid-connected and producing energy for your home. Here is the first step to getting solar panels installed in your home.
 

An engineer needs to check if you can handle a solar system 

Technically signing the agreement with your installer is the first step, but step 1A is having an engineer come by your property to evaluate the electrical status of your home and ensure everything is compatible for solar panels on your roof. This engineer will typically work directly with your installer, but the engineer could also be independent and hired by the homeowner. You can expect the engineering site visit to occur soon after signing with your installer.

During the visit, the engineer will evaluate the condition of your roof to ensure that it’s structurally sound.
 

Is your electrical panel able to handle solar power?

They will also look at your electrical panel to see if you’ll need to upgrade it. Older electrical panels need to be upgraded to handle solar power. If you hear from an installer that they need to upgrade the electrical panel, it simply means that your panel is too old or it means that your new solar panels will require more amps of current and the ampere capacity of your electrical box will need to increase.

It should be noted that this engineer visit is different than a general site visit which is when an installer evaluates your property to consider system size, roof type, the angle of the roof, and shading, but that is done before the contract is signed. Additionally, though an engineer will typically come by, in some cases the installer can take photos of the property and conduct their own measurements of the roof and the engineer will be okay with signing off without doing his or her own visit.

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years.

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.