Is a Solar Shed For You? 

Sheds are used for a variety of reasons for homeowners. From a work office to traditional storage, it’s great supplemental space for the home. Have you thought about solar panel installation? Let’s determine if a solar panel installation is for you. 

Roofing. Solar panels are surprisingly similar in weight to adding an additional layer of shingles on a standard asphalt roof. Solar installers will evaluate your roof to determine if your roof has the structural integrity to hold up on panels. 

Space and Sunlight. The standard residential solar panels are approximately 15 square feet. You’d like to ensure that your shed has the appropriate roof space for panels and is clear of shade most of the time. A southern facing roof directly hitting the sun is optimal for solar electricity production. 

Electricity. Ideally, a majority of homeowners would like about 100% of their home covered by electricity usage by solar panels. If your shed is about 15 square feet or more, this could be the ideal scenario to over your bill for your shed. Panels used solely for your shed will decrease the upfront cost than a traditional residential installation since less panels are expected. 
 

Other solar shed options 

Want a shed solar kit instead?
This is an additional avenue to get solar panels for your shed to install it yourself. If you’re only installing a few panels and are comfortable with electrical work, then a DIY is the preferred way. These kits are great for a small solar panel system.  

Or do you prefer a professional installer? 
There are great perks for using a professional to install your panels. You can save significant amount of time and installers  assist with filing paperwork, which can be a headache for first time DIY installers who aren’t familiar with handling the paperwork for permits.

If you choose to create a solar shed from scratch, you’ll be able to customize the construction and location of your shed to make it compatible for solar. In this case, consulting with a builder to make sure there’s enough available roof space to fit the amount of panels needed is recommended. A builder will advise the position of the shed on your grounds to maximize electricity production.

Even better, do you want to purchase a shed with solar panels? 
If your main roof isn’t a good fit for solar panels and want solar options, then a solar shed may be a good solution for your property. Fortunately, home improvement stores sell sheds with solar collectors included. Most retail sheds have passive solar thermal collectors, rather than solar electricity panels.  Passive solar thermal collectors don’t save as much as the electricity type of panels, but its a plus if your also using your shed as a greenhouse. 
 

So, is a solar shed for you?

Installing solar panels is especially advantageous if you only want to provide electricity for your shed, or are building a new shed that is solar ready. If your only goal is to maximize the savings with solar, installing a larger system will be your best bet.

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.