Here are a few things you should and shouldn't do when choosing new solar panels to buy for your home:
Do Evaluate Your Power Needs
It's important to evaluate your home's actual power needs before deciding how many solar panels to invest in. First, you have to determine exactly what you want to power within and outside of your home. Whether you plan to power all of your appliances and lights or just your electronic equipment, you need to know how much power each component uses so your service provider can determine how much power your solar panels will need to generate in order to keep your home running smoothly.
Your service provider can walk through your home with you to identify what will and won't be hooked up to your solar system and then recommend the type, size, and number of solar panels to invest in. This can help save you time, money, and inconvenience in the long run because you won't have to worry about power shortages due to buying the wrong size or number of solar panels for your system.
Do Talk to Your Power Company
It's also a good idea to talk to your power company before buying solar panels for your home to find out whether they would be interested in purchasing any extra power your solar system generates over time. If they are interested in purchasing your leftover power, you may want to consider buying an extra solar panel or two that your home doesn't need to make a little extra money every month throughout the coming years. The money you make could actually pay for your solar system after awhile.
Don't Install the Panels Yourself
Unless you are a professional working in the solar power industry, you likely don't have the skills, knowledge, or tools that are needed to properly and safely install solar panels on your home. You can spend your time learning how to do so and then spend your money buying all the tools you'll need, or you can have a professional do the legwork for you to save yourself that time and money.
Having your solar panels professionally installed will help ensure that your warranty isn't accidentally voided by following the wrong procedures or using the wrong equipment. And your service provider will have the equipment necessary to test your new solar system once it's installed to give you peace of mind in knowing that the system is working efficiently.
Don't Overlook the Need for Maintenance
Your solar panels will need to be maintained over the years to keep them in good shape and to reduce the risk of damage developing over time. Ask your service provider for a list of maintenance tasks you can do throughout the year to keep your panels clean and safe. Find out what materials to use when cleaning the panels, and what signs to look for that there might be a problem that needs to be addressed by a professional.
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