Solar panels have been around for decades, but they’ve never been as popular with homeowners as they are today. That’s in part because solar panels are becoming more affordable than ever before, but it’s also because of the many benefits that come from having them installed. We’ll go over some of those benefits here and then take a look at how to install your own home solar panel system.
Choose the Right Panels and Solar Panel Kits
When you’re deciding which solar panels to buy, there are some key factors to consider. The first is wattage: this is a measure of how much electricity the panel can generate in one hour under ideal conditions (i.e., no clouds). If you have an older home with limited roof space and want to install enough panels to power your entire house, choose high-wattage units; if your goal is simply to offset some energy use during peak hours, then lower wattages will do just fine.
Next comes voltage–the amount of pressure at which electricity flows through wires or cables before being converted into usable power by devices such as lights or televisions. Most residential systems have either 12v or 24v configurations; these numbers refer specifically
to the voltage level at which they operate most efficiently so it’s important not only that they match up with those already present inside homes but also whether they’re compatible with future plans like adding more appliances over time!
Finally there’s current output: this refers primarily affects how long it takes for batteries (which store excess solar energy)
Decide Where to Install Your Solar Panels
Deciding where to install your home solar panel installation is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when installing a home solar panel system. The type of roof that you have can determine what kind of mounting system is best for your home, so choose wisely!
- Flat Roofs: If you have a flat roof, there are two options for installation: ground mount and pole mount. Ground mounts are typically installed on concrete slabs or asphalt shingles (if they’re strong enough), while pole mounts usually require additional structural support for large spans between poles.
- Pitched Roofs: If you’re installing solar panels on a pitched roof–meaning one with multiple angles to allow water drainage–you have three options: ground mount, pole mount, or rooftop racking systems that use rails installed around all four sides of the house’s perimeter walls (or just two sides if only two rows need be installed).
Mounting Your Solar Panels
The location of your solar panels is just as important as their quality, so follow these tips to ensure that they’re properly installed:
- Mount them facing south. The ideal mounting location for solar panels is on the south side of your house, where they’ll get maximum sunlight throughout the day and year.
- Mount at 30 degrees from vertical (or tilt angle). You’ll want to mount them at a 30 degree angle off vertical so that they don’t face directly into or away from the sun–this helps keep them cool while maximizing efficiency.
- Keep them 6 inches away from roofing material and other obstructions like trees or chimneys that could block light from reaching the cells inside each panel’s frame. This distance also keeps heat generated by melting snowflakes during winter months from damaging nearby objects like shingles or siding materials; if there’s no room between these items and your panels’ surface area then consider installing insulating foam strips along their edges instead!
It’s simpler than you think to get started with solar.
It’s simpler than you think to get started with solar.
You can install your own home solar panels, or have an electrical contractor do it for you. Either way, here are some tips:
- The benefits of solar energy are many and varied–it’s clean, renewable and produces no greenhouse gases (GHGs). It also saves money on utility bills while reducing GHGs in our atmosphere. A typical household that installs its own system will see a return on investment (ROI) within 5-7 years!
- When choosing panels and kits for your installation, look for ones that use thin film technology as opposed to traditional crystalline silicon cells which are more expensive per watt produced but tend to last longer than thin films due to their durability against weather conditions such as hail storms etcetera.. Also consider where the panel(s) will be installed at home because this will affect how much sunlight reaches them throughout different times during day/year depending on location such as whether it faces north/south instead east-west orientation etcetera..
Conclusion
With so many options out there, it can be daunting to try and figure out which solar panels are right for you. That’s why we’ve put together this guide! We hope that this article has helped you understand the basics behind home solar panel installation and given you some ideas on where to start. If you have any questions at all about what we covered today or anything else related to going green in your home, please reach out! We love hearing from our readers and would be happy help answer any questions that come up along this journey towards becoming more sustainable humans