Ten (10) Questions Before Buying Solar Panels

With the focus on environment and saving energy worldwide, it is not surprising that solar panels are considered the biggest energy generating potential. Solar panels not only save money and the environment but have all the requisite benefits of natural gas and electricity. Industrial community believes that solar panels will be the energy source for the future and as such, they expect a rise in demand for these panels. However, if you are planning to invest in a solar panel, you need to be aware of certain factors before you make a final decision. Here are some essential questions to consider before installing a solar panel.

1. Is it cost effective?
In the US, the cost is estimated in $30 to $80 per square foot when used to heat up a home. The cost is estimated in terms of watts, with one watt of energy to cost $4.30, according to the solar panel website.

2. Lease versus own?
You can have a licensed contractor to install the system for you, as maintenance, securing permits and other details of the system are handled by the contractor. If you install the unit on your own, the total amount will work out to $25,000 or more along with having to care for its maintenance. Leasing from another party means that you pay not only lower electricity bill but someone else takes the headache for its smooth operation.

3. Climate?
If you are located in an area where sunshine is limited, then you may not be able to harness the full potential of the solar panels. This will mean that your expenses will far outweigh the cost of the system.

4. What if you move home?
This can pose a problem if you do not find potential buyers for the solar panels if you have to move house. However, there are many prospective home buyers who do look out for additional green features, in the new home that they would like to buy.

5. Net metering?
When the solar panel is able to provide more energy than is required for home use, the excess energy is diverted back to the local electric utility. There is a drastic reduction in cost of electric consumption of a home, since it is being augmented by the excess energy from the solar panel.

6. Is the home structurally sound?
You house need to be structurally strong and sound as solar panels are installed on the rooftops. The house has to be able to support the weight of the solar panels which are quite heavy.

7. How to position it?
Solar panels have to be positioned towards direct sunlight, so the area chosen should have the full glare of the sun during the day.

8. In house service vs outsourcing?
You may have a question regarding the service method of maintaining solar panels, whether it is taken care of by the staff of the solar installer or by a third party. The service is provided generally by the installer of the solar panels.

9. Home value?
Despite the contraption on the rooftop, many people are attracted buying a home which already has energy saving devices. The value of your home will increase as the operating costs within your household decreases.

10. Zoning issues
Depending on the rooftop size of your house, installers can custom design your requirements. In some areas, unlawful protrusions on rooftops are banned by authorities, so you need to zone the area before installing solar panels.

These few questions can be on anybody’s mind and many more, since installing solar panels is for a permanent reason. If properly installed and given adequate maintenance, solar panels are guaranteed to last for 20 years or more.

About the author: Rubela is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology, Environment and luxury. Beside this she is a nature lover. Recently she bought a vertical farming for her house. These days she is trying her hands on a totally different topic i.e. Wireless Laser Printer.

If you found this article insightful, please let us know. It’s your feedback that keeps us motivated to dig out the details. If there are any other issues you would like to see us addresses, again, just let us know and we will include them in future articles and newsletters.

This is your website. We cover the issues about solar panels that matter to you. Please bookmark our site and let your friends know about us.

Read more at AlternativeEnergyHQ