There is always a lot to keep up on with solar power, but if you do your research you will be able to figure out who is talking “which makes sense” and who is just making a sale. Here are 10 things to consider before going solar, so you don’t get caught “napping”:
1. Make Sure You Understand Your Consumption And Utility Retailer’s Rates.
In most areas, there are different “Demand Rates” of usage and each has a different formula to calculate cost. For instance, energy usage during peak have higher rates than energy usage in off peak. Some of the demand rates are super high when you needed to us the energy the most and as a rule of the thumb it’s likely going to cost more , going solar means that you can save more with solar power and get better return on investment.
2. Solar Batteries, Is It Worth Spending Money?!
You should not consider going batteries unless you are constructing a self-contained home or your property in an area where grid connection is not viable. If you consider staying “on the grid”, you will continue to receive power at night from the grid, just like you are getting now.
Probably of more important is the fact that Solar panel system that connected to the grid can give you much more better & faster ROI on your investment and makes your project finished at a lower cost than system with batteries (until battery prices go down in future).
3. Do You Know How Much Energy Your Home Use Every Month?
A growing family generally means increasing energy needs, but if you are childless or have college-age kids ready to leave the nest, you can expect your energy costs from grid to go down, and stay down. Making some energy efficient changes in your home can also help you control your normal usage, such as replacing incandescent bulbs to LEDs and replacing your old machines (fridge, washing machine, etc.) to energy efficient machines or making other energy-saving changes and upgrades, can lower your costs even further. Request a free solar assessment from a local installer to help you accurately calculate your usage & size your solar power system.
4. North Facing Roof Area Or Bust? No.
Ideally, solar systems should be on the north, north-east or north west-facing area of your roof. Truth be told, the direction on the solar panels can be critical to harvest good production but it’s not as important as you may think (or salesmen may insist). Positioning the panels to face east or west will also work, and even south east and south west give acceptable results, too.
5. Do I Need An Approval From Council? To Install Solar Panels
No, you are not required to obtain authorization for installing solar panels on your roof except you are altering a heritage property but It is advisable to get approval from strata management if you live in a strata managed property. SA properties require a council approval for solar if you are putting panels on tilt brackets.
6. Cover Your Solar Investment
After installation, you may need to contact your home insurance company to amend your policy with newly installed solar panels. You may need to pay a bit extra by covering solar panels in your policy, but protecting your system from fires or other damage is critical.
7. Study Your Solar Warranties
Many kind of warranties offered by solar installers now a days but studying warranties can protect you from future disappointments.
Solar system warranties that are normally offered is
- The panel performance warranty - 25 years
- Panel manufacturer warranty – 10 to 15 years
- String inverter manufacturer warranty – 5 to 10 years
- Micro inverter manufacturer warranty – 12 to 25 years
Solar Secure system comes with full 5 years system warranty.
Solar Secure offers 5 years’ full system warranty that covers almost everything that needs attention for the period.
Remember that neither of these warranties covers theft, fire, or other damage, so ensure you have your solar power system added on to your home content policy.
8. How Long Do Solar Panels Last
Solar panels do not have any moving parts and do not attract any wear and tear. In general, a solar panel will last 30 year or more and lose half percent (0.5%) conversion efficiency annually. Little maintenance like hosing the panels off a few times during the year and keeping obstacles off solar panels will help generating steady output.
9. Will Panels Harm My Roof?
Great question! Now a days Solar panels are installed using specialised solar mounting kits. This solar installation mounting kits are available as per the roof types to ensure solar panels are securely placed on roof without damaging the existing infrastructure. Additional advantages of using these kits are that you may find that the room(s) of your home directly under the panel installation may remain cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Always choosing the right installer like Solar Secure who’s installations always meets customer satisfaction by ensuring a job done right.
10. Your Roof Type Can Influence Cost
Installation cost depends on the kind of roof you have. It will definitely be costlier to install solar panels on terracotta tiles than on plain interlocking tiles roofs. terracotta are far more brittle than any other tile types, so additional time-intensive care is needed to ensure that any attachment points penetrating the roof are completely and properly sealed.
Always talk to our solar experts before you commit to a solar panel installation. You may find that pricing is similar, so you will have to base your final decision on other things, including solutions offered, reviews of service, solar installer reputation, the amount of help you get figuring out the government solar rebates, and so forth.
If our expert is honest and the company reputable, he will likely give you this last piece of advice, too. Good advice also contains a conservative sales and better output on the systems they sell. We strive to achieve the best possible results for our customer rather than just selling a solar panel system.
After you have conserved all the information you can, taking the next steps in determining how best to install a solar system would be super easy.
All the best & happy shopping.
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