Going solar is a common trend these days. People want to reduce their bills and be more environmentally friendly, so they look for ways to make that happen. When the price of solar panels has gone down 99% since the 1970s, that makes solar a great way to fulfill your goal of being more environmentally friendly.
However, you’ll need to do things right when you buy solar panel systems. Follow the guide below to start seeing the benefits of solar power.
Understand Your Solar Generation Capabilities
The first step to buying solar panels is to understand how much solar energy is available in your area. While the sun may provide limitless energy, that energy doesn’t get evenly distributed across the planet. If you live in an area with constant cloud cover and isn’t as bright, you won’t generate as much solar energy.
That’s why it’s crucial to understand how much solar energy your area receives. You’ll need this amount to determine the solar installation size you need. It will be hard to provide enough solar coverage to meet all your electricity demands in some cases.
Check Your Energy Usage
Once you know how much solar energy your area provides, you’ll need to figure out your current energy usage. Luckily, your current electric bill should give you this number.
Once you know how much energy you need, you can determine if a rooftop solar installation can meet all your power requirements. You’ll learn what size solar panels you need and how many you need to include in your installation.
Of course, you aren’t out of luck if you need more solar panels than your current budget affords. You can upgrade in the future to cover any of your excess power requirements.
Examine Your Roof for Issues
Unfortunately, you can’t install solar panels on every roof. You need a minimum structural integrity to handle the load solar panels place on your roof. Old and damaged roofs can’t support the extra strain solar panels add.
Get in touch with a roofing contractor to examine your roof for problems. They can tell you what your current issues are and fix them at a reasonable rate.
If you have an old roof, it may be wise to invest in a new one. It will cause more of a hassle a few years down the line when you need to remove your panels for the roof replacement. Taking care of it today might cost more money, but it will lead to less hassle in the future.
Find the Best Pricing Option
You don’t have to pay full price for solar panels anymore. Now that panels are more common, solar companies offer financing and leasing for people that don’t want to pay for their systems in full.
Financing is great if you plan to keep your solar panels. You can work directly with your solar company or get in touch with a traditional lender. Just make sure you get multiple financing options to see who offers the best terms.
A lease is excellent if you don’t have the cash for a system and don’t want to stay in your current location long-term. You simply pay a monthly rate for your solar panels and take advantage of lower power costs.
Just be sure they cover the State you’re getting your panels installed in.
Search for an Installer
Now that you know how you want to pay for your solar panels, it’s time to get them installed. Of course, you don’t want to do this yourself. You need to find a solar contractor who can help with help installing solar panels.
Keep the factors below in mind to make your choice.
Find a Licensed Contractor
You don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Unfortunately, that can help in some cases. Find a licensed solar installer to work with someone that’s proven they can handle the job.
Check for Insurance Information
Once you verify a solar contractor has a license, the next step is to verify insurance information. Accidents can happen on the job, and you don’t want to be held responsible for damages. Insurance will cover any damage to people and property when your contractor is working.
Find a Reliable Warranty
A warranty is a must when you buy something like solar panels. Even though the likelihood that you’ll experience issues is low, there’s always the chance that something will go wrong. You need coverage for both labor and equipment for your solar panel installation.
Verify Availability
You don’t want to get stuck in a contract for months on end without getting your solar panels installed. Unfortunately, you can end up waiting some time if you decide to hire a busy solar contractor. Check with your solar installer to see when they can make it to your home for the job and have them commit to that date.
Read Consumer Reviews
When hiring a solar contractor, the last thing you should do is to do so without learning what other people have to say. Before you finalize your selection, check online review websites to see what other people think of a solar installer. You can track down red flags that make it not worth working with a company.
Now You’re Ready to Buy Solar Panel Systems
You’re making a significant investment when you buy solar panel systems. Because of that, you can’t afford to make the wrong decisions and blow your solar system budget. Keep the guide above in mind to find a residential solar system that can provide all your energy needs.
Do you want to check out more advice that makes home improvement easy? Check out the latest home improvement articles to continue adding value to your house.
