While everyone would like to do their part to help the planet, the fact is every home is not well-suited for solar panel installation. In this article, we turned to a Massachusetts solar energy expert for insights and guidance about what homes benefit most from solar panel installation.
Is Every Home a Candidate For Solar Power?
While the sun shines everywhere, not every home is ideally positioned to make solar panel installation a good decision. If the home is surrounded by trees, in a heavily shaded area, or for some other reason receives limited amount of sunlight even on bright, sunny days, that home is not a candidate for solar panel installation.
Here in Massachusetts, homes that are ideal for solar installation have roofs that face south, southwest, or west. This allows for maximum sunlight exposure.
Does the Type of Roof You Have Matter for Solar?
This is one area where there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Solar panels can be installed on almost every type of roof, including slate roofs. The key to solar installation on slate roofs is the use of the Solar Slate Plate, a simple tool that allows installers to drill mounting holes on the roof without damaging the slates.
Are The Savings from Solar Worth the Cost of Installation
When determining if the financial savings garnered by switching to solar are worth the expense of the change, consider your current electrical expense. Bear in mind that there are many reasons – some developing around the world as this is being written – that are driving the costs of electricity up. With that in mind, consider how much you’ll spend on electricity over the course of the next 20 years – that’s the useful life of a well maintained solar system. Compare that total to the cost of having your solar system installed, minus any incentives or tax credits you may be eligible for, and that answer will let you know if installing solar makes sense for your family. Need help figuring it out? This Massachusetts solar energy expert would be happy to help you!