What to Know Before Installing Solar Panels

Outfitting your home with solar panels is the first step to a lifetime of sustainable energy. But in order to make the most of your sunshine-sourced electricity, you’ll need to figure out how to make your home produce as much energy as possible. Here’s what you need to know about installing solar panels on your home.

Roof Direction Matters

Here in Alberta, the winter months bring cold dark days, which makes sun absorption difficult! Have no fear, Solarwyse is born and bred out of Alberta, we got you covered.

If your roof isn’t angled toward the sun, your panels won’t be able to soak up enough light to produce the amount of energy you need to power your home. The best homes for solar power are those with roofs that face south or west. However, depending on the pitch of your roof, solar panels can potentially harness enough energy when installed on east- or north-facing roofs.

Your Roof Needs to Be in Good Condition

When it comes to harnessing the sun’s energy, the age, shape, and material of your roof matter.

If your roof has seen some wear and needs fixing, or it’s an older roof that will need to be replaced within the next few years, you may be better off taking care of these repairs before installing solar panels. If you choose to install solar now and make the repairs later, you will need to remove the panels for the repair and then have them reinstalled after.

A Solarwyse solar technician will be able to determine if your roof is structurally sound enough to support the weight of solar panels, or if it will require additional support.

Roof Shape and Material Matters

If you haven’t given much thought to the shape of your roof, we can’t say we blame you. There are plenty of other roof types that can also work well with solar panels. During a site visit, installers will take into account the roof shape, shading, and degree of pitch, which together determine how much sunlight your roof is able to effectively absorb.

There Are Various Types of Solar Panels to Choose From

The great thing about outfitting your home with solar panels is that you’re not limited to traditional roof installation. If your roof doesn’t face south or west, ground-mounted panels can be specifically angled to soak up every available ray of sunshine on your property.

There are many brands and models to choose from but a few factors to keep in mind, other than cost. A solar panel system is a long term investment, hence there are many aspects other than the price that you should take into account. Read our tips to help you choose what solar system/brand you’ll need.

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