Installing a solar panel system can decrease your carbon footprint by an average of 35,180 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. You’d have to plant 88 trees every year to offset that amount of carbon dioxide!
Still considering a solar energy system for your home or workplace? Its better you stop and think for a while since there are many factors that go into it. And, with no homework done, you can certainly lose your sanity through the journey.
Having said that, let’s take a run through some things you must know before going solar:
Pick the right financing company
With the highly endorsed concept of energy-saving, most of consumers are swamped with leasing companies that are willing to offer financing that includes most or all of the upfront solar panels installation costs.
Under lease, the payments increase slowly over a period of time in accordance with greater energy savings on bills. At the conclusion of 10-20 year payment tenure, you always have a choice to purchase the solar energy system.
Therefore, stay informed on all financing options available to you!
Keep up on utility company’s rates
In the US, electricity usage is categorized into different “tiers” and every tier employs a unique formula to arrive at the final cost. So, tiers with higher power usage have higher rates. For instance, if you are paying an electricity bill of around $80 and your monthly bill goes beyond the designated power limit, you automatically switch to Tier 5 with higher rate blocks.
But, when you go solar with the same company as your utility, it strips off the top tiers from your bill. Hence, the more you are investing on electricity presently, the greater the ROI (return on investment) you will get on installed solar panels.
Get a clear picture of monthly energy usage
Knowing your actual monthly energy usage is very important as you can always have varying energy needs. For example, if you are recently married and have no kids or you have teenagers who’ll move out for college soon, your energy consumption is likely to fall after some time. Substituting bright bulbs with energy-saving led lights and other energy-efficient upgrades can certainly keep your energy costs down.
So, contact a solar expert to arrive at your planned power demands rather than calculating your actual, present usage.
Know what’s what of Solar Warranties
When it comes to solar, there are two types of warranties: a) the solar panel & inverter manufacturer warranty and b) Installation & work warranty. While the former extends to 20-25 years and 5-10 years for panels and inverters respectively, the latter has a term of 2-10 years.
Under the work warranty the solar installers are deemed to assure quality work and usually guarantee that they made no holes in the roof which may result in any kind of invasion or leakage.
Learn your roof type & cost
Well, roof type is one factor that can either step-up or bring down your solar installation costs. While Spanish tiles or plated roodsdemand high investment, plain asphalt brick roofs are easy on the pocketbook.
Since, tiles and plates are excessively breakable than asphalt shingles, extra time-intensive care is necessary to make sure that any connection points puncturing the roof are fully and accurately sealed. This additional time can up the solar panel installation costs to anywhere between 10% and 25%.
Sound complicated? That’s why we recommend that you hire a reputable professional. If you’d like a free consultation regarding solar energy, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page or call us at 1-877-245-4672. Energy Remodeling’s solar team can help you decide if an investment in solar is right for you!