Harvesting the energy of the sun to power your home or business is a great idea that is good for both the environment and your wallet. Installing solar panels on your rooftop not only has the power to drastically reduce your monthly electricity bill but it also conserves energy and reduces your carbon footprint.
Installing solar panels on your property has never been more affordable than it is now. Solar costs continue to decrease and the rising number of installations completed daily continues to climb by companies in the solar technology industry which is continuing to boom. If you have been considering going solar, now is the perfect time to do it.
As you begin your installation process, here are some things to consider and include in your to-do list.
Calculations and Estimates
Whip out your calculator and start calculating how much energy you will need to power your property. You can do this by taking a look at your older monthly electricity bills, as they contain how much energy you typically consume every month.
You can also use online solar calculators to help you determine how much power you’ll need on a monthly or yearly basis.
Fix Your Roof
Before you go ahead with installing solar panels on your roof, you have to consider and examine the state of your roof. How old is your roof? Is your roof worn out or damaged? Does it need repairs? How much weight can your roof handle?
You need to answer these questions before installing solar panels as the panels can be heavy and putting too much weight on an old or weak roof can cause a cave in, and that is an incredibly dangerous and incredibly costly situation.
Besides cost and danger, it just doesn’t make sense to install solar panels that may last for more than twenty years on a roof that won’t last another five.
Decide Between Leasing and Buying
When it comes to installing solar power, you have the choice between leasing the solar system or purchasing your own system upfront. It all depends on your budget.
However, it is more cost-efficient to own your own solar system because you will save more money in the long run once you have fully paid off the initial cost of purchasing the system. Whereas with leasing, the company you lease from will own the solar system while you pay them a rate for the electricity.
You are still saving money and the environment whether you lease or rent your solar panels, you just need to decide which one best suits your financial needs.
Schedule Your Consultation
So now you know what you take into consideration in regards to going solar. The next step is to have your roof assessed by a roofing professional to make sure it is strong enough and has enough life left to hold up solar panels for years to come. SJ Roofing is just the roofing pro for the job. Get your free estimate today to get the ball rolling.
