Business & Finance

Going Solar: 5 Steps to Having Your Own Rooftop Solar Panels

Green energy is all the rage these days. People everywhere want to conserve energy, so they turn to green energy sources to get their power. That’s why 2022 promises to be a record year for solar and wind energy.

The good news is that regular people can take advantage of the trend and buy solar panels for their homes.

However, you have some work to do before you take the plunge and buy rooftop solar. Follow the five steps below to get ready for your solar installation.

1. Understand Your Solar Capacity

Not every location is suited for great solar production. Darker parts of the world don’t generate as much solar energy, which means you’ll need much more hardware to get the power you need.

It’s essential to understand how much power you can reasonably generate in your location. If you live in a darker area, you may not be able to fully power your home with solar.

2. Determine Your Power Needs

The next step to getting residential solar panels is determining how much power your home needs. Look at your current energy bills to see how much power you use. You can use this to calculate your average wattage and how many solar panels you need to cover your home fully.

Of course, you don’t need full coverage if you don’t have the resources for it. You can start small and do a partial installation and upgrade down the line.

3. Examine Your Roof

Unfortunately, you can’t install solar panels on every roof. Older roofs, in particular, have a hard time supporting the load. If your roof has damage or needs to be upgraded, you’ll need to fix your roof or install a new one.

You’ll need to contact a solar manufacturer to figure this out. This can drastically add to your cost, so it’s crucial to determine your roofing needs early.

4. Look for Solar Providers

Once you have your initial information, it’s time to search for solar installation companies. Give your address and solar needs to the companies near you. From there, you’ll get quotes dealing with how much everything will cost.

Make sure you get as many quotes as possible when getting pricing information. You want to get the most value for your money, not just go for the first solar contractor you find.

5. Hire Someone to Help

Once you get your solar installation quotes, it’s time to start the hiring process. Look through Blue Raven’s process and the other offers provided by the other companies.

Once you decide, you’ll need to set up the installation date. Keep this in consideration when deciding to find a provider that will work on your installation on your timeline, not theirs.

Now You’re Ready to Start the Rooftop Solar Installation Process

While solar panels are an excellent option for most people, not everyone can get the full value from solar energy. You need to make sure your roof and location can handle your solar needs. Work through the solar installation process above to make sure you can fully utilize rooftop solar.

If you want to read more great home improvement tips, head back to the blog to check out the latest posts.