How to Properly Prepare Your Home for Solar Panels

Author: Audrey Ingram

By having solar panels installed you can begin to save some of the money that you are now using on energy for your home. It’s an excellent investment that helps you harness the power of nature for your home’s energy needs. If you are interested in learning more about solar power, visiting some informative and reliable websites can put you on the path toward taking your home into the next phase of energy development. So, how do you get your home ready to accept solar panels on its roof? By using some of the steps below you can begin the process of making your home suitable for solar energy.

  1. One of the first areas to inspect is your roof. This is where the solar panels will be located. Here they will collect valuable energy from the sun that will be converted into electricity for use in your home. If you don’t feel comfortable inspecting the roof yourself, hire a tradesman to check the purlins, joists and the structural integrity of your roof.
  2. Next, examine the roof for any damage caused by leaks that may have developed over the years. Also look for any damage caused by insects. Any changes in the load-bearing sections of the roof must be addressed before you put solar panels on it.
  3. You, or a professional, should then check the pitch of your roof. The angle that your roof presents is important in terms of the amount of solar energy that will be produced by the solar panels once installed.
  4. Another factor that you must consider is any shade that falls on your roof during the daytime. Do you have large trees or permanent structures nearby that keep the sun from directly hitting your roof where the solar panels will be installed? If possible, you need to remove any large objects like trees so that your solar panels will receive direct sunlight for as long as possible during the daytime.
  5. Finally, make sure that your doors, windows, and insulation are all in excellent condition so that your solar panels will truly make a difference to the next energy bill that arrives.