Recently, my wife’s uncle added solar panels to his roof to reduce his electric bill, and in some cases, actually sell back unused electricity. This was the first time I saw this in action, and I came away impressed. So, when I received this guest blog post from Randy Piccoli, of Jerry’s Roofing and Siding, an expert in the exterior remodeling field, I thought it would be valuable information for you, our blog readers. Thanks so much Randy!
For many people, solar panels are becoming an increasingly popular way to provide the home with much needed energy while reducing energy bills. If it’s something you’ve considered for your own home, it helps to know just how you can get the right solar panel set up for your own home.
Because the practice of adopting solar panels is still gaining popularity all over, you might have a few questions about them and what they can do for you. Don’t worry, because we’ll use this post to look at solar panels, what you need to look for, and how they can help you save money on your electricity in the long run.
1. Think About Your Home’s Roof
There is a wide range of roofing material out there and not everything is right for solar panels. If, for instance, your home has roofing made of clay tile or slate, then installation won’t work.
Solar panels are also harder to install on rooftops made of wood shakes and concrete, so you may face a higher than normal installation cost if your roof material falls under any of those categories.
Roof design is also a factor, as solar panels are easiest to install on rooftops with slopes that aren’t too steep.
2. Think About Regular Maintenance
Like any other kind of home improvement, solar panels will need regular maintenance to continue doing what they were designed to. While the panels don’t have any moving parts to speak of, you may have to spend time cleaning off accumulated snow if you live in an area that gets a lot of it.
The same can be said for urban areas that have a lot of dirt in the air. Regular cleaning is an important part in seeing that the panels operate at one hundred percent effectiveness.
3. Think About Your Home’s Positioning
Because the panels rely on the sun, your home needs as much exposure as possible. If your home has a south-facing roof, that’s the best possible position to be in as far as exposure for gathering solar energy goes.
4. Think About the Age of the Roof
When it comes to solar panels, you want to make sure the roof on your home is relatively new. The reason for this is that if you need to replace your roof soon after you install solar panels, then you could be facing extra costs that you might not have initially anticipated, and that could offset some of what you might save through decreased electrical use.
5. Think About How Many Panels You Want
Before you make a decision about putting panels on your roof, think about how many you want. More panels will lower your energy bill, but cost more to install. On top of that, it is possible to add panels later, but the cost you incur will have to be taken into account and weighed against your energy use savings.
6. Think About How Long You Plan On Staying in Your Home
If you think that a move might be possible in your future, consider that when you’re exploring your options with solar panels. In many cases, you can easily transfer the agreement that governs your panels to the new homeowners, who will see benefits like lower electricity rates as an advantage when they consider buying your home.
These are some of the key areas to think about when you want to install solar panels on your home’s roof because doing so will make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Before you begin, make sure you have your roof checked out by a professional roofer to ensure it’s in strong condition. Once you do and the project gets started, it won’t be long before you start seeing the savings.