Homeowners tend to make a lot of mistakes whether it is during the solar panel installation, use, or maintenance of solar panels on their roof. But the most critical errors happen while setting up the system on their property. If you have decided to install a set of solar panels on your roof or anywhere in your house, you should spare at least 5 minutes to read this blog post till the end. Let’s begin:
Forgetting To Plan Your Solar Panel Installation
Do you know how important it is to chart out a plan before you install any solar panel on your roof? The biggest and the most common mistake many homeowners make is not planning this whole thing out. People don’t really understand what their needs are or might be in the future. As your family grows, you will need more rooms. You will probably have more electronics and a battery-powered electric car as well. If you decide to run a small home-based business, your energy consumption will increase significantly. By forgetting to plan for all these probable situations in the future, you are limiting the capabilities of your solar panel system. You must think about the battery sizing and also the inverter size of your solar system. Make sure that you invest in an expandable and flexible solar panel installation that is future-proof and can prove to be a reliable resource in the coming years.
Delaying The Decision Longer Than You Should
You are obviously going to ponder over it a little bit. You will think and rethink about it and this is something that happens with probably every homeowner. But remember that if you are trying to make a switch from conventional power to solar energy, it could be a huge decision that will have positive implications on your financial situation in the future. It is quite easy to waver from this resolve because it is new and uncharted territory for you. Solar energy is a decision that you should not delay beyond a certain point because the sooner you get it installed on your property the more financial incentives you are able to reap.
Ignoring The Structure Of Your Roof
The structure of your roof is going to play an important role in enabling you to set up a solar panel system on your property. A typical solar power installation is going to put a weight of at least 25 kg per square meter on your roof. This means that you will be adding more pressure to the foundation of your property and its overall structure. Make sure that your roof can handle this much weight in addition to all the chimneys, vents, exhaust fans, and other appliances. For example, a fiber cement roof is going to be a lot more brittle as compared to a cement or brick roof. So choose wisely.
Improper Sizing Is A Major Flaw
Improper sizing is also a big mistake that a lot of homeowners make. You might be prone to making it as well if you haven’t yet calculated the appropriate size that will be suitable for your roof. The easiest way to calculate this is to assess your power usage and install the right number of panels that can prove to be sufficient for the entire household and in case of power outages as well. This will determine the size as well as the number of solar panels to be installed on your property. In addition to this, you will also have to pay attention to panel orientation, the voltage settings of the inverter, and the weather conditions in your area.
Do You Want A Cheap Solar Panel Installation?
Several homeowners end up spending their hard-earned money on cheap solar system installations. They think that investing in a “reasonably priced” or “affordable” option is the way to go. It might seem very practical initially but the panels that you have purchased may deteriorate sooner than you think. A few years down the line, they will become much less efficient and you will have to invest the same amount of money again to replace them. When it comes to solar energy, there is no substitute for quality. And the best quality comes at a price.
Forgetting To Ask For Several Quotes
It is always a more practical approach to ask for not one but several quotes from various solar power installation companies in your city. Homeowners who do not invite at least 5 quotes from the leading solar panel contractors usually wind up with a sub-standard installation after having paid a humongous amount for it. It is never advised to go with the first solar panel installation service provider that you connect with. Evaluate the offerings of 4 to 5 installation providers in your area at least and compare the value that each one brings to the table before you arrive at a decision.
Not Placing Your Panels Under The Sun
You cannot just place your solar panels at any spot while installing solar panels on roof. The solar company is going to send their representative to your house who is going to determine the location of the sun throughout the day and with the help of those coordinates will come up with the most appropriate spot that is suitable for solar setup for home. He will choose a place on your roof that gets the most amount of sunlight during the day. A particular angle will be set for all the panels to make sure that the unit is highly efficient throughout the year.
There Is No Such Thing As DIY Solar Panel Installation
If you are one of those homeowners who think that doing it yourself is going to cost them less, you couldn’t be far away from reality. The truth is that solar panel DIY projects are never successful as you would imagine. You must have the appropriate expertise to pull the entire thing off. Before you begin with a DIY solar panel installation, you must ask yourself the following questions:
- What size of solar panel will be suitable for your roof?
- How many solar panels will be enough for your power needs throughout the day?
- How much roof support will each of your solar panels need?
- How are you going to complete the wiring of the solar panel system?
- Do you know what spot on your roof will be the most suitable for your solar plant?
- If you cannot answer any of these questions with utmost surety, it is never advised to initiate a DIY solar panel installation project.
Do You Think That Your System Prevents Power Outages?
A lot of families are under the impression that installing a solar panel system means that they can prevent power outages. This is not the case at all. Solar energy does allow you to produce power and save it in the form of backup but only if you have the right peripherals. This means that you must invest in an inverter and a battery as well. If you have a grid-tied system, any power that gets generated from your panels will be hosted in the public grid. So this means that if the grid goes off, your electricity will be cut off as well. But remember, if you want to address this issue, you can connect a grid-tied solar PV with a battery backup at your place. This means that whenever the power goes out, your house will draw electricity from the battery backup.
Keeping Your Solar Cables Unorganized
Solar cables, pipes, connections, and every little control attached to your residential solar panels can add a lot to your frustration. If you are under the impression that handling all these connections is going to be easy, you are very much mistaken. You cannot take the various attachments and connections of solar cables lightly. It is always better to understand which cables connect which parts within your solar system. They should be attached to the module and kept in place using proper measures that keep them secured in one place.
Leasing Could Be A Big Mistake
A lot of people also make the mistake of leasing the entire system. They are under the impression that paying a monthly charge on solar panels is a rather affordable affair. However, when you look at it in the long run, it proves to be very expensive. You should also remember that a premium rate is usually charged on the lease. It also includes the interest that you will be paying on top of other charges. This means that eventually, you will be paying a lot more for a solar panel system that you have leased. In addition to this, it does not make you eligible for any tax credits and incentives that are associated with purchasing and installing a solar panel system on your property.
Do You Want To Eliminate Any Premium On Your Solar Panel Installation?
If you have thought about going for a national-level vendor or a big name in the solar energy sector, you will always have to pay a huge premium along with the initial investment cost. You might end up spending close to 300% of the total cost as a premium on this installation. For example, if the total equipment costs you around $5,000 you will have to pay an additional $15,000 only for the installation. Remember, it all boils down to what kind of solar installers you have chosen. If it is a big brand such as Tesla or SunPower, it is going to dry out a lot of your savings before you even know it.
Key Takeaways You Should Keep In Mind Before Switching To Solar Energy
1. Cost
There are a few things that are going to determine the overall cost of your solar installation. Apart from the size of your home and your energy consumption, there is the brand value that comes attached with any solar panel installer. Just as pointed out above, the more popular the brand is the costlier the installation is going to be.
2. Roof
If you are thinking about installing solar panels on your roof, you must get it inspected beforehand. Discuss with your contractor whether it will be appropriate to get them installed on your roof or not.
3. Location
An average solar panel is going to need around 4 to 5 hours of sun exposure per day to be functional and remain efficient throughout the year. But remember, the more sun exposure it gets the greater the solar panel efficiency is going to be.
4. Electricity
Whether you decide to use a solar power backup or not will be entirely up to you. If you want to harness the stored power generated from solar energy, installing an inverter and battery is a more practical approach to take.
5. Warranty
Usually, there are two types of warranties which are product and performance. Different brands or manufacturers will have different warranties and distinct terms and conditions attached to them.
6. Contractor
You need the right solar panel installers or contractors whether it is your house or office. The panels should be installed correctly and in a way that prevents any probable damage to them in the long run.
Conclusion
So there you have it; a few very common yet critical solar panel installation mistakes that a lot of homeowners are prone to making. By reading this blog, you must have understood what to do and what not to do when installing a solar panel set on your roof.
Universal Solar Direct is Solar Panel Installer company. We install solar panel in Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Utah, Indiana and nearby places.