South Bay Energy: Preparing Your House For Solar Power

Solar energy is fast becoming an alternative source of power for residential buildings or single-family homes. Prices of solar panels and installation services keep going down as manufacturers discover new and safer materials for them. You might also want to take advantage of the federal government’s generous tax incentives to homeowners who install solar panels at home. However, before making the leap to solar, you must make sure your house can handle them.

1. Repair your roof. Most solar panel systems are designed to last up to 25 years; your roof will need to last at least that long. Before you install the solar panels, check your roof for broken tiles or leaks. You should also check if your roof can accommodate the extra weight – an average solar panel weighs around 40 pounds.

2. Make sure your roof gets enough sun. To get the most out of your solar panels, your roof should be free from any obstructions that might get in the way of sunlight. Trees, for example, might provide useful shade to those on the ground, but could also reduce your solar power system’s efficiency. Equipment such as air conditioners, TV antennas, or satellite dishes could also block out the sun. You might also want to check the direction your roof faces – installing solar panels on a south-facing roof will help them catch more sunlight than they would if they were facing north.

3.  Get your papers in order. It’s best not to install a solar power system by yourself. In fact, you should get in touch with a qualified solar contractor to install it. The contractor will help you obtain certain documents, such as the electrical diagram of the system, the specifications of the inverter, the application for electrical service, and the electrical permit, which will come in handy when you are already applying for the federal tax incentive. You may also want to have a production meter installed in case you plan to sell excess power to the grid.