While every homeowner has the potential to make big savings on their electricity bills when they have solar panels installed, just how much they could save depends on several factors.
From the angle of the roof, to how shaded it is, having an approximate idea of how much a solar system could save you is useful to know before a solar salesman comes knocking at your door. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you make the switch to solar:
What is the direction and angle of your roof?
Roofs with either a southern, southwest or southeast facing roof give the highest solar output, so if your roof is open and southern facing, you stand to gain the highest level of solar output from your panels. If your roof isn’t southern facing, you can talk to a solar installer about having a ground mounted system installed.
The angle of your roof also makes a difference, as the tilt can have a significant impact on the panel’s ability to capture the suns rays. If your roof tilts at 30-45 degrees, that’s great for panels, if it tilts at greater than 45 degrees, however, a ground mounted system might be the only option.
How shaded is your roof?
If there are trees, chimneys or other structures blocking sunlight from reaching your roof throughout the day, your home may not be an ideal candidate for a roof based solar system, unless you can fix those issues, such as by trimming the tree(s).
When checking for shading, look at the sections of your roof that are south facing, as those facing north east are typically not a concern. You can even use a free online tool by Google called Project Sunroof, to help determine whether your roof receives enough sunlight during the day.
How many panels will your home need?
If your roof is suitable for a solar system, you’ll need to find out how many panels you’ll need to match your household’s average power usage. Check your last utility bill and look for the annual kilowatt usage. Once you have this figure, a solar installer can estimate what savings you might be able to make with a solar system. Note that many solar companies will provide an estimate for free, so do take advantage of this if offered.
Calculating what savings you might make with solar
By dividing the cost of solar panel installation by the amount of electricity you typically use, you can calculate your total energy bill savings, should you go ahead and have a solar panel system installed. The average solar panel has a lifespan of around 25 years, so this means that you should multiply your annual energy savings by 25 to 30 years.
Life is a gamble, but by arming yourself with the facts and listening carefully to what your solar installer is telling you (a good, experienced one won’t ever blur the facts or inflate the money you might save), you can easily make big savings on your electricity bills with a solar panel system.
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