The energy obtained from pure sunlight is considered one of the best forms of renewable energy and is an excellent eco-friendly power source for running your home. Several people wish to install these panels but don’t know if their homes are compatible.
Several solar panel installers out there tell you if your home is a good location for solar panel installation or not. Besides these installers, however, there are also a few other ways to check their compatibility with your home all by yourself.
If you, too, wish to utilize the energy obtained from sunlight to meet your electricity requirements but don’t know if your house is the right choice for it, then don’t worry because everything is covered. Here are various options through which you can check if your house is an optimal choice for panels or not.
What Is Solar PV?
Solar panel electricity systems, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture the sun’s energy using photovoltaic cells. It is one of the most familiar forms of renewable technology; we’re all used to seeing solar instruments on the roofs of homes and public buildings. It works by converting sunlight into electricity via PV cells, which can power household appliances and lighting.
Check Whether You Need Solar Panels
The first and foremost thing you need to ask yourself before considering installing the instrument for your house is whether you require them for your electricity. It doesn’t make financial sense to install the panels in a house that generates way less than the average amount of power bill of the standard household in your country.
The installations don’t come cheap, and if you aren’t even going to utilize their power to their maximum capacity, it doesn’t make sense to get them. According to various experts, the minimum amount of power bill that justifies the most basic installation is a power bill of 80$. Any less, and you don’t require them for your house.
Learn more about installing solar panels right here.
Figure Out The Type Of Your Roof And Its Slanting Angle
While solar instruments are compatible with most roof types, there are some that they don’t seem to work with as well as they do with other roof types. The prime example of such roof types is the clay and wood roof type. While you can still install them on these roofs, it doesn’t look as aesthetically pleasing and requires advanced mounting procedures that may cost you extra charges depending on your panel installers.
One more thing you need to check is the size your roof can provide. If your roof has a very small amount of roof space, you won’t be able to install many solar panels, which will hardly make any dent in your home’s power consumption.
One more lesser-known aspect is the angle your roof is situated at. If the roofs’ angles are too acute or too obtuse, which sometimes happens with custom homes, your panels won’t get a decent angle to receive adequate sunlight after installing them.
Examine How Much Sunlight Your House Gets
Various websites and apps can easily tell you if your location is a good choice for sunlight after you input your address into their system. While these websites can provide a basic check on your location’s weather, they don’t tell you whether the instruments are a good choice for your house.
However, that aspect is easy to check as well. All you need to do is to ensure your roof is not, or won’t be, blocked by a tree and its shade. The next aspect will be your roof’s angle, and the last one will be its size. Input all this data into an advanced online calculator that measures your house’s solar energy potential and sees if your home is good enough for the panels to be installed.
See If The Local Weather Around Your Home Is Suitable For Solar Panels
Many people think the panels you install on your home can’t operate without direct sunlight and are thus ineffective in areas with cloudy weather. This couldn’t be further from the truth because panels can generate electricity from direct and indirect sunlight that comes off in tiny rays through clouds.
Thus, these can be a viable option even in areas that constantly have clouds around them. However, they won’t work at the maximum effectiveness they are designed for and will only be completely useful if your area experiences sunlight from time to time.
That being said, there is one type of weather that panels don’t do well: snowy weather. Suppose you live in an area that constantly snows around the year, such as the northern European countries. In that case, it is a good idea to keep away from them as the accumulated snow renders the panels useless.
Considering your town or city’s local climate and weather is vital to knowing whether installing panels is a good option for your home or just a waste of funds.
Check If Your Roof Is Ready For Solar Panels
Roofs have a shorter lifespan than the panels you are thinking of installing over them. If it has been quite a few years since you last replaced your roof, it is probably a good idea to get your house’s roofs replaced first and then install panels over it. The last thing you want is to have a broken or leaky roof underneath your carefully installed panels, where repairing the roof means removing the panels, which comes at its own risk of breaking them into pieces.
Suppose you know your roof is old, but you don’t have the financial capacity to replace it and install the panels themselves. In that case, staying away from solar panel installation is the best financial choice for your family and children until you can budget both options together.
Conclusion
With an array of issues to consider before installing solar power kits, let renewable solar energy be part of your lifestyle and enjoy sustainable living. It pairs well with those who do gardening and composting or travel using electric vehicles. Good luck with your new investment.
