What should I ask before installing solar panels?
Before installing solar panels, you should ask if your roof is the right shape, type, orientation, direction and slope and whether it’s strong enough to support panels.
You should also ask about local rebates and incentives, warranties, and how you can connect to the grid. More questions include determining your homeowners association (HOA) regulations, your home’s efficiency, how much energy you use, how much solar costs in your area and more.
These are all questions that Freedom Solar will help you answer during your free consultation.
What is the biggest consideration when installing panels?
The biggest consideration when installing solar panels is your installation site. Because roofs are the most common place for installation, several factors determine whether your roof is suitable for solar panels. Your roof type and shape, slope, orientation and direction are all top considerations.
What should I know before going solar?
Before going solar, you should know the average amount of energy your household requires daily. . You should also research the type of solar panels you need. High-efficiency solar panels will generate more energy on a daily basis, and you can store that energy in a home battery backup if needed.
What should I consider in solar panels?
Before purchasing a solar panel system, you should consider a few factors.
Efficiency, yield, warranty options, durability and aesthetics (which might involve your Homeowners Association) are all major considerations. Freedom Solar only offers products and services with the highest ratings on the market, and which are covered by a 25-year performance, product and workmanship warranty.
How many solar panels does it take to run a house?
The average home requires 21 to 34 solar panels to cover its full electricity needs. This range is based on the monthly average of 877 kWh used by homes, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
However, all residential needs are different. The location of your home, the efficiency of your panels, and how much energy your household consumes will determine how many solar panels you need.
Can a house run on solar power alone?
Yes, theoretically. A modern solar panel system, including a battery backup for house, makes it possible for a house to run on solar power alone.
With highly efficient solar panels and a premium battery, you could easily generate enough energy to power your home and daily needs.
How do I calculate how many solar panels I need?
The best way to calculate how many solar panels you need is to look up your home’s hourly energy requirement in kWh over a 30-day period.
This is based on your monthly energy statements, or you can ask your utility to calculate it for you. Multiply that by the number of peak sunlight hours in your area, which you can easily search online since it differs depending on the time of year and where you live. Then, divide that number by the wattage of your panels, which is either low wattage (150W) or high wattage (360W).
What roof materials is best?
Standing seam metal is probably the best roof material, but we frequently work with composition shingle and have a lot of experience with clay tile.
Do you have to penetrate the roof?
The only non-penetrating roof application is on a standing seam metal roof. On all others we use a very reliable roof flashing made especially for solar mounting systems to prevent leaks.
Does the panels have to go on the front of my house?
In some cases, yes it does. This is simply based on your available roof surfaces, their direction towards the sun and shading profile.
Which direction is best for solar panels to face?
Solar panels are most productive when south facing given our location north of the equator. However, anything from due east to just past due west is a productive solar window.
What kind of warranty comes with the array?
With any Freedom Solar Power solar project, you will receive a 25-year product, power, and workmanship warranty.
If your system has product performance issues, which are rare, Freedom Solar will submit your warranty claim on your behalf to the manufacturer. Additionally, our Complete Freedom Warranty provides a 25 year workmanship warranty, which may be transferred to future owners of your home.
Can my HOA stop me from installing solar panels?
Under certain states’ solar access laws, HOAs are legally prohibited from preventing their members from installing a solar panel system on their property.
In some cases, however, they can provide input on the location of the solar panels. State governments have put these laws in place to encourage more homeowners to purchase solar panels and use renewable energy sources.
What is the benefit of installing SunPower solar panels?
SunPower solar panels convert more sunlight to electricity, producing 44% more power per panel, and 75% more energy per square foot over 25 years.
They are highly efficient panels and SunPower provides a 25-year complete coverage warranty on all their products, that also ensures a maintained energy output of at least 92% of their original production over the 25-year lifetime.
What is the benefit of installing REC solar panels?
REC’s panel efficiency ranks 2nd best in the industry (after SunPower’s Maxeon model) but delivers more energy yield than anyone else—which means more cost savings for our customers.
REC has consistent high quality with the lowest failure rate in the industry (their warranty claims rate is <100 parts per million which is orders of magnitude better than anyone else). Freedom Solar Power offers a 25-year hassle-free lifetime warranty covering product, power and workmanship.
What is the benefit of installing Mission Solar panels?
Mission Solar panels are built in Texas and are among the best in the industry in panel efficiency.
Built three times tougher than industry standards, with energy capacity guaranteed to maintain at 84% in year 25, Mission Solar panels offer a great system at a great price with great protection. Freedom Solar Power offers a 25-year hassle-free lifetime warranty covering product, power and workmanship.
How can I tell if my house is suitable for solar panels?
Here are several factors that you should know to determine whether your home is a good fit for a solar panel installation:
- Shade is one of the most common reasons people cannot install solar panels. Trees or other impediments to full sunlight throughout the entire day can negatively impact solar panel efficiency.
- For rooftop systems, your roof must be in good condition. It is ideal but not necessarily required for your home to have south or west exposure. Solar can be mounted on all roof materials.
- The economics of solar generally make sense only if you are planning to stay in your home for at least 2 years. If you are planning to move soon, consider waiting to install solar on your new home!
- If you are building a home, it’s less expensive to incorporate solar into your plans from the beginning. We will work with your developer to ensure the process is efficient and seamless for you.