8 Things to Consider Before Installing Rooftop Solar Panels

Across Australia, more and more people are starting to invest in solar energy systems. Solar energy is one of the most promising and cost-effective renewable energy generating systems. It provides you with peace of mind and protection for the future and can save you lots of money in the long run.

If you’re thinking of buying solar panels for your home, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The truth is, there are many things to consider when buying solar panels.

To help you decide if solar power is the right option for you, your home, or your business, we've put together a list of the top 8 things to consider before installing these solar panels on your roof.

8 Things to Consider Before Installing Rooftop Solar Panels

1. Does your roof need repairs?

Before you even consider installing solar panels, ask yourself how old is my roof. If you know that you will need a new roof soon or that part of your roof is damaged, installing solar panels is probably not the best idea. If you can, make repairs to the roof before installation. This way, you won't have to pay more to disassemble the artwork and then reassemble it (in some cases for at least 20 years).

Another aspect to consider is the warranty on your roof versus the warranty on the solar panels. If you have solar panels that will last 20 years and a roof that will only last 10-15 years, you increase maintenance costs. Try to match the two projects in terms of duration to reduce the amount of effort, time, and money you will need to invest.

2. What is the shape of your roof?

Roofs come in different shapes and sizes. Before proceeding with any installation, make sure your roof has enough space for the solar panels. If there isn't enough space, you probably won't get the return you expect on your investment.

3. In what direction are the slopes of your roof facing?

Solar panels require a specific location to generate the maximum amount of energy. Most professionals say that the best location is to have the panels facing south, while others say that it is west. Either way, it is important to determine this information before beginning the installation.

4. How much weight can your roof support?

Installing solar panels will add weight to your roof structure. If the weight of these solar panels is too much for your roof, it may collapse. This is very dangerous for many reasons, not to mention cost. To avoid both situations, your roof must be professionally evaluated to determine if additional support is required to complete the installation.

5. Where will the water go?

When it rains, the water runs along the roof, into gutters, and outside your home. By installing solar power systems, equipment such as shelving and wiring harnesses can prevent water from flowing and draining properly. In some cases, solar equipment can move water in a different direction, which can create leaks and other problems. These issues will need to be fixed, which means the solar panels will need to be removed.

To avoid all of these problems, be sure to tell your contractor about these concerns. They can present you with a plan to demonstrate that the facility will have no impact on water runoff.

6. What about the other surprises of nature?

Part of maintaining your solar power system is dealing with extreme weather conditions like thunderstorms, hurricanes, hail, etc. Some solar equipment may be damaged during these events. While some insurances cover these types of events, this is something to consider, especially if you live in an area where this type of weather occurs frequently.

7. Did you choose the cheapest options?

Cheaper solar panels rarely translate into better solar panels. While the price of the technology has fallen dramatically over the past decade, investing in the cheapest solar panel models or brands may leave you in the dark. Cheaper or lower-end solar panels are often manufactured in a way that makes them less durable. When solar panels are less durable, it decreases the value of your investment, as well as possible future savings. The scary part is that these poor signals can sometimes be dangerous, creating safety risks. The last thing you want is for a fire to start in your home due to poor-quality solar panels.

8. What about warranties?

The Warranties on solar panels are an important aspect of protecting your solar panels and other related equipment. If something happens to your solar panels, having a warranty helps you hold the manufacturer accountable, at no additional cost to you. There are also many incentive programs (available in many different states in Australia) that require you to have a warranty on your solar power equipment.

Read More: Avoid these 7 Solar Panel Installation Mistakes

10 Important Things to Consider Before Installing Rooftop Solar Panels

Every serious purchase in your life requires careful consideration and advance planning. Installing solar panels on the roof is no exception. Since it is a large investment and requires the precise calculation of certain factors before choosing the solar panels that best suit your needs.

Today, millions of people choose solar panels as an excellent option for sustainable green energy. Solar panels not only help offset energy costs, but they are also a clean and environmentally friendly source of energy.

More and more people are equipping their roofs with solar panels, and why not? One report suggests that more than two million homes in Australia have rooftop solar panels, with a combined capacity of more than 10 GW. Therefore, solar energy is an easier way to contribute to a sustainable future.

A well-planned installing rooftop solar panels can turn your investment into a smarter one. However, understanding the relevant factors before installing solar panels will help you avoid solar installation mistakes and unpleasant surprises.

10 Important Things to Consider Before Installing Rooftop Solar Panels

Therefore, we have compiled some of the essential things that you need to consider before installing solar panels on the roof.

Choosing the right solar panels

Much depends on the type of solar panel you choose to install for your roof. Unless you have first-hand information about solar panels, it can be difficult to make the right decision.

Also, it is always better to buy solar panels in NSW from a reputable company as they will last for decades. Besides, it can also save you a lot on electricity costs. In general, there are three basic types of solar panels:

Monocrystalline panels

These panels are good at converting sunlight into electricity. They are efficient and take up less space on your roof.

Polycrystalline panels

These panels generate lower thermal resistance compared to monocrystalline panels. However, these panels take up more space on the ceiling.

Thin-film panels

These panels are often made by depositing a semiconductor material on a ceramic substance. Although the cost is low, they need more roof space.

You can filter all the options and choose the one that best suits your budget and your rooftop needs.

Consider your roof type

Millions of houses have roofs that get a lot of sunlight during the day. Therefore, the demand for rooftop solar systems has increased dramatically in recent years. Installing a solar panel system can become one of the smartest investments of your life.

However, before installing solar panels, the first step is to determine if your roof is ready for solar panel installation. There are a few things to consider before choosing to install solar panels on your roof.

The shape of the roof

The roof is built in different shapes and sizes. Before proceeding with the solar panel installation, make sure your roof has enough space for the solar panel. However, if there is not enough space, you may not get the return you expect on your investment.

Roof condition

Before buying a solar panel, the roof should be inspected. Solar panels can add extra weight to your roof. Therefore, your roof must be strong enough to adequately support the weight of your solar panel.

The weight that a roof can support

A typical solar panel can weigh approximately 1 to 2 kg per square foot with the mounting frame. This limit is generally within acceptable roof load limits.

Roof warranty

If your solar panels are going to last 20 years but your roof will only last 10-15 years, your maintenance costs may increase.

Correct positioning of solar panels

The positioning of a solar panel is an essential factor to consider before installing it on your roof. A solar panel uses most of the energy when the sun's ray hits its surface perpendicularly. Therefore, the proper direction and angle of inclination can ensure that the solar panel produces the maximum power.

Read More: 10 Important Things to Consider Before Installing Rooftop Solar Panels

This is how much you really save on electricity using solar panels

With such a large amount of lucrative investment opportunities, it usually becomes tough to settle on the investment that  “ saves you plenty of cash.” you're in a very similar dilemma after you think about investing in solar panels. solar panels generate energy naturally by using energy from the sun, which implies no high-priced electricity for you.

Solar panels are one of the most recommendable sources of renewable energy. solar panels facilitate save energy by removing the dependency of households on the national grid. 

These solar panels use renewable energy, which is a smaller amount expensive as compared to the energy created by the grid, hence, reducing your electricity bills. Therefore, putting in a solar panel in your home will be a wise call. But, how much cash you'll be able to save with alternative energy conjointly depends on several factors, including:

Your average energy consumption

• Usage pattern
• Your feed-in tariff rate
• Size of your alternative energy system
• Where you reside

This is how much you really save on electricity using solar panels

These factors play a key role in saving you from paying vast electricity bills, thus let’s begin unrolling them:

Understanding your average electricity consumption

The easiest way to find out your average electricity consumption is to appear at the past electricity bills. Your electricity bill is an associated indicator of what proportion of power you have got used in the previous month or quarter. The consumption of electricity is shown in kilowatt-hours [kWh]. 

Solar power aids in reducing average energy consumption, particularly in sunny Australia.

Large properties or households with higher energy demands need an alternative energy system of around 5kW or generally higher. A 5kW system in Australia is good for generating between 18kW/h-25kWh of electricity on the average per day.

So, check your electricity bill to ascertain what number of units you're presently using. it'll facilitate calculate the average consumption and assist you to select the right solar panel for your house.

Usage pattern

Your solar power system produces electricity throughout the daytime and feeds back the excess energy into the grid. Moreover, the energy provider can credit you for the export of power, and this credit will ultimately facilitate offset your power bills.

Feed-in tariff rate

The feed-in tariff rate provides you the cashback on the number for any renewable energy that you generate in your home. the number you may receive depends largely on the mostly size of your system. 

Customers who sign an agreement with their energy supplier will get the tariff rate for solar power, that is fed into the grid. the most effective way to notice the tariff rate is to see together with your provider to seek out out the tariff rates on provide. 

Moreover, the feed-in-tariff rates also can vary from state to state. Therefore, you must confirm to calculate your figures beforehand before you begin calculative your savings.

Read More: This is how much you really save on electricity using solar panels

5 good reasons to go solar in Sydney – Aus-Brite Solar

1. Sydney gets lots of sunshine

Although it’s going to not be as sunny as Brisbane or Darwin, Sydney remains a fairly sunny place. this is great news for anyone with (or considering getting) solar panels for his or her home.

The table below provides a summary of what proportion of solar energy you’ll expect solar systems of varied popular sizes to supply on an average day in Sydney. It’s helpful to recollect that kilowatt-hours (kWh) are the units that appear on your electricity bill – and which your electricity retailer uses to calculate your quarterly or monthly electricity charges.

5 good reasons to go solar in Sydney – Aus-Brite Solar

2. Incentives through the federal

Like everyone everywhere in Australia, Sydney residents who install solar can enjoy the nation’s Renewable Energy Target. In essence, the Renewable Energy Target provides an up-front

incentive off the value of putting in a solar PV system supported the system’s size and the way sunny your location is, plus certificate economic process. lately, this ‘discount’ works bent about 30% off the sticker price of a total installed system. confine mind that this incentive only applies if your system is installed by accredited solar installers in Sydney using accredited products. In most cases, you ought to be ready to see what proportion this incentive is worth within the quotes you get from installers.

3. Solar power is affordable in Sydney

Thanks partially to the federal incentives explained above, Australia is home to a number of rock bottom solar PV system prices within the world – which is one among the explanations that numerous homes and businesses have solar panels installed. Aus-Brite Solar has been keeping track of installation price trends since 2012 and as you’ll see within the below table the value of solar in Sydney tracks closely to the national average.

The chart below (click to enlarge) shows how prices have changed (in terms of dollars per watt of capacity – $/W) since 2012 for a variety of popular system sizes. on average system prices in Sydney have dropped by about 35% since we started publishing figures. consistent with our data, lately, a typical 5kW system in Sydney costs about $4,270 on average – although both lower and higher-priced systems are out there.

4. Solar Panels in Sydney offer attractive returns

The table below shows payback periods, ‘internal rate of return’ (IRR), and annual savings within the first year for a Sydney home, using 2 popular system sizes at average prices (as of March 2020). confine mind that returns could also be better for systems whose price points are lower. But even be mindful that you simply want to be selective about the products and corporations that you consider – some deals are too good to be true. Thus, Solar Panels in Sydney offer attractive returns to businesses as well as households.

5. Energy independence – like growing vegetables in your own backyard

Solar is about quite just saving money – to a point, it’s also about self-reliance. With the arrival of affordable solar panels, Sydney homes are not any longer completely beholden to their electricity retailer for his or her energy needs. an honest analogy home-grown vegetables: having a garden in your backyard can’t only assist you to save on your grocery bills, but it also feels good.

How can a homeowner make a ‘Stress-Free’ move to Solar Panels?

Did you recognize that each second the Sun produces ample energy which will cater to sustain Earth’s needs for 500,000 years? and therefore the best way to harness this abundant energy is by efficiently converting it.

Taking this mission forward, Australia clings to its vision of creating the longer-term clean and green by inclining towards using solar power solutions. Surprisingly, people still hesitate to form the switch from conventional energy to solar power even after knowing that the solar industry may be a highly booming one.

Several questions associated with solar power storm you and hinder your decision-making process. Helping you get obviate all of your doubts and make the stress-free move to solar panels, we've penned down all the factors to stay in mind while purchasing solar panels.

How can a homeowner make a ‘Stress-Free’ move to Solar Panels?

Read through to form a wise decision!

How to choose the proper solar panel?

Hinge on to the subsequent factors for creating the proper choice of solar panels:

Evaluate the scale of your roof

The size of your roof plays a considerable role in determining what solar array size you ought to search for. A smaller roof means a smaller solar array system. and people willing to suit large solar panels need to have large roofs.

Don’t skip on checking the shape

Yes, another very critical factor to assist you in being decisive is that the shape of your roof. Checking the form of your roof means trying to find favorably large areas before getting to get the solar panels installed.

Talking about the functioning of solar panels, confirm that you simply have how out of connecting them then transfer the generated power right down to the inverter. If all of this seems impossible, then you ought to start re-thinking your decision to put in solar panels.

Assess the shading on your roof

By this we mean, you've got to see whether your roof is shaded for the whole day and most likely the whole year. If so is that the case, then you ought to either re-plan the development of your home or drop the thought of enjoying the lifetime benefits of solar panels.

Another viable solution that you simply choose is getting the high-end solar panels installed. they have a tendency to get power even within the shade. If you propose doing so, it's indispensable to settle on the proper solar panel.

Decide on your budget

Once you identify that your roof and house can effectively support the solar panels, advance to deciding your budget. Plan your budget after understanding the quantity of energy you're using monthly. Only then decide what proportion you would like to spend on switching to solar power. Thereafter, work within your budget and choose the simplest solar panel accordingly that matches your requirements.

Pen down your checklist of requirements

Before you search for that perfect solar array, it's highly critical to stay a note of all the wants that you simply want in it.

The requirement checklist should cover the subsequent points:

• The efficiency of the solar array
• High-quality solar array
• Size of the solar array
• Meeting the standard standards
• Flexible design and best performance
• Return on investment

Once all the above points get a tick, it means you've got got a go-ahead for proceeding to verify all the documents of the chosen solar array. While this evaluation, you would like to make sure if the solar panel has been tested against every norm and has proper accreditation. Don’t choose any solar panel and end regretting burning your pocket.

Read More: How can a homeowner make a ‘Stress-Free’ move to Solar Panels?