How to ready your new home for a solar energy setup
Solar installations are gaining huge popularity among modern day home owners. And rightfully so! Solar panels help cut your monthly bills, and make you more environment friendly. Unless you are Ritchie rich, we bet you’ll be willing to go solar and save a couple bucks.
If you are in the market for solar, there are a few things that you need to know beforehand before actually getting a solar installation. There are a number of steps that need to happen after you commit to going solar and before the solar panels can actually be placed on your roof to power your home. To show what you can expect, we’ve outlined a few steps to help you understand a typical solar installation process.
1. Assess your solar potential
The first and foremost thing to consider is whether you have a roof that can support solar panels. If your roof is covered in shade most of the day, then having a solar panel installed on it might not be the most favorable idea. If your roof won’t cut it, it would be prudent to look into shared or community solar. Get more people on-board and share the benefits!
If your rooftop gets enough sunlight, then next thing to consider is whether it’s in good shape or not. Most solar service providers such as Solar Luminous give you a warranty of 20-25 years, and if your feel that your roof is in a need of renovation a few years down the road, it’s best to take care of it before the installation. This way, you save yourself from the extra time and money to disconnect the solar panels during your roof renovation.
2. Solar that makes sense
The two technologies used for solar panels are Photovoltaic, which makes use of cells to turn sunlight into electricity, and thermal, which uses sunlight to heat water or air for inside use. In India, photovoltaic technology makes more sense as we need solar to power up our electronics and home appliances as opposed to thermal that is mostly used in colder climates where you need energy for central heating.
But one thing that you need to consider is whether to go for Off-Grid systems or the On-Grid ones. The latter come with a net metering system and work in conjugation with the grid or your electricity supply. It doesn’t work when the grid is down in case of power outage.
The Off-Grid system, on the other hand, is a more feasible option in areas that suffer from high power cuts. These systems store the electricity produced by the solar panels in batteries and use it as and when required.
3. Estimate your solar electricity needs
Before going solar, it’s important to understand whether it’s going to be worth the buck or not. There are many online tools available that can help you assess the solar savings in case you get a solar installation.
Check out this one: Solarizer and figure out if solar is actually the way for you or not.
4. Assess your home’s energy efficiency
Before starting the process of solar installation, it’s better to make an assessment of how much energy your home uses in a day and consider potential efficiency upgrades. A solar panel will be more effective if you as a home owner are willing to commit to energy efficiency. Start with the small stuff, such as switching to energy efficient lighting. Use your appliances more prudently, or consider investing in highly efficient products. You can also do a home energy audit to understand what steps you can take to improve the efficiency of your home.
5. Permits and approvals
As is the case with any big financial decision, installing solar panels involves some paperwork. In case of rooftop Grid-Tie solar system, the owner must complete all the necessary requirements for getting the net-meter installed. For battery based systems, no permits are required. However, in case there are any subsidy schemes offered by local government, additional documentation may be required for subsidy.
You can also go for solar products that are designed as per IEC standards, as they are eligible for subsidy schemes.
6. Choose a trustworthy installer
Solar combines the logistics of a home improvement project with the risk of electrical work. Ideally, you will want someone that will stick around not just through the process of installation, but for the lifetime of your installation.
At Solar Luminous, we take care of your every need, every step of the way. Right from the inspection, paperwork and installation, our team of experts is there to make your solar journey a hassle free experience. Our products are also designed as per IEC standards, making them eligible to subsidy schemes. We also give a warranty of 25 years on our products, and help you maintain the efficiency of your solar installation, throughout its lifetime. In case you have any questions about solar installation or the easy financing options that we offer, feel free to reach out to us at www.solarbyluminous.com and we’ll give you a call back!
