How to tell if your home is right for solar energy?

Solar energy is an excellent way to become energy independent as well as take a huge step toward sustainable living. However, not all homes fit the bill for solar panels, for any number of reasons. Take some time out of your day and read on to make sure your home is ready for solar.

1. You’ll need an abundance of sunlight.

Make sure your area gets enough sunlight, especially the roof of your house. You can do the legwork yourself and check out your roof a couple of times a day so that your panels are not overshadowed at any point by obstructions such as trees, other buildings or structures. In terms of weather, solar panels work half as well under shade and clouds as they do in direct sunlight. Interestingly, weather conditions don’t really affect solar panels. They can work in extreme cold and extreme heat and can withstand snow coverage.

2. Roof type and pitch.

The type of material your roof is made of, as well as the incline of your roof significantly influence the possibility of installing solar panels. Generally speaking, the ideal angle for solar panels is 30 degrees. A roof pitch of 40 degrees is steeper, but won’t significantly influence your solar panel efficiency. However, any roof steeper than 40 degrees is not only too steep for solar panels, it can also make installation dangerous. You should also take into account your roofing materials. The best materials for solar panels are composite or asphalt shingles, concrete tile or standing seam metal. Other roofing, such as slate is too brittle to safely harbor solar panels, and wooden roofing is a potential fire hazard.

3. Will your roof last 40 years?

Solar panels will last you around 25-35 years with little maintenance, so it's important to have a durable roof. Since property value rises around 4% with solar panels, perhaps it's time for a renovation?

4. Do you qualify for government incentives?

Even though going solar is a huge investment, there are government incentives that can cover up to 30% of the solar installation cost. For example, if you purchase your solar panels in 2022, you may qualify for a 26% income tax credit. Research the incentives available in your state to see how much of your solar installation costs you could potentially recover.

5. Space do you have enough room for solar panels?

Depending on your electricity consumption, you’ll need between 10-15 solar panels to power your home. Solar panels are typically 17.6 square feet in size, and their energy output is about 15 watts per square foot. Divide your roof square footage by your solar panel's square footage, and you’ll find out roughly how many solar panels can fit on your house. If you’d like to have your roof space evaluated by a professional, SolarQuote offers a free estimate tool that can help you figure out exactly how many solar panels you’ll need, and survey your roof to see if there’s enough space for them to be installed.

6. How much is your electricity bill?

Since the point of investing in solar energy is to reduce your electric bills, you have to make sure that the savings from solar energy will outweigh the costs of the utility. The generally accepted threshold where installing solar panels makes sense is $75 dollars.

7. Get an expert opinion from SolarQuote.

Our professional solar advisors will be able to guide you on what solar panels to install, your savings and financing options, and more. If you’d like to give us a call, we’re available. We also have a live chat option, and an easy, extensive solar quote tool if you’d like to take matters into your own hands.

Installing solar panels is a worthwhile investment. If you’re looking for solar installation services and want to purchase your solar panels online and hassle-free, try out SolarQuote today.