Updating your home with new solar panels can transform your space with a variety of benefits. In addition to being an eco-friendly source of renewable energy, panels can reduce the cost of electricity. Furthermore, a number of available programs help make the panels more affordable for consumers. While there are many benefits to using solar energy in your home, it pays to consider these 10 questions before beginning the process.
How Does Solar Work?
Solar panels harness the sun’s power and turn it into electricity. Using a technology called photovoltaics, or PV, the panels absorb photons from sunlight to create an electric field that allows electricity to flow. This simple process produces energy for a wide variety of structures.
What are the Environmental Benefits of Solar Panels?
Many consumers flock to solar energy for the numerous environmental benefits. For example, using solar power reduces the amount of carbon and pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. This reduction translates into less pollution and cleaner air and water. While conventional forms of energy contribute greatly to the high pollution of today’s world, the use of solar power lessens the strain.
What’s the Cost of Solar Energy?
The cost of solar energy has been on a steady decrease since 2009, making it very cost-competitive with electricity sold by utility companies. The price of the panels has dropped, along with costs associated with installation, permitting, and inspection.
How Does Solar Energy Create Savings?
The amount of money you can save by installing these panels depends on a variety of factors, including the amount of electricity your family consumes, the size of your energy system, whether you intend to buy or lease your panels, and the amount of sunlight your panels receive. Although these factors make the cost of running a system fluctuate, homeowners can still expect to receive lower energy rates.
Is Your Home Compatible?
Before you purchase solar panels for renewable energy, make sure your home is compatible with a new system. While panels are able to work in all climates, some rooftops and their positioning are not suitable for solar-power systems. For example, panels perform best on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 degrees. In addition, factor in the age of your roof and whether it needs to be replaced in the near future.
What is Your Location?
Before installing solar panels on your home, keep in mind the location of your home. The hours of sunlight influence the energy production of the panels, so where you live impacts their ability to generate energy and savings.
What Happens to Excess Energy Production?
What if your solar-panel system produces more energy than needed? Good news: Your excess energy will be fed to the city’s power grid. When that happens, homeowners receive a credit on their utility bill. (IS THIS ALWAYS TRUE?)
Will You Be Relocating Soon?
Another important consideration before purchasing panels is how long you intend to live in your home. While the panels can be transferred to your new location, and many companies provide this transportation service, the process can be a bit pricey. A more cost-efficient solution might be adding the panels to the sales price of your home. If you lease your solar-power system, the contract might be transferable to a new location or the new homeowners.
Are Solar Panels Safe?
While you may have a few safety concerns before you purchase panels for your home, rest assured that the technology is very safe. The solar-powered panels now in production have met international inspection and testing standards.
To further ensure your safety, hire a qualified technician to install your solar-powered panels. Working with professionals helps guarantee your panels meet building, fire, and electrical codes.
Why Choose an Installation Company?
While some homeowners try to install panels on their own, hiring professionals helps ensure your panels are properly installed, and that inspections are conducted to ensure your panels are up to code and standards. Before you purchase your panels, compare the available options and decide which company you want to install them.
Once you consider all these factors, you are ready to make your purchase. Lee Company does not install solar panels, but we do install solar attic ventilation and solar-powered lighting.
