How are Solar Panels Installed? What to Expect When Going Solar

Using solar energy has become extremely popular in recent years, and to keep this trend going, the US even has a solar tax credit, which is a dollar-for-dollar reduction that you can claim when installing a solar system in your home.

So, it’s a no-brainer that so many people are opting to install solar panels on their roofs! You may be one of these people and are wondering how are solar panels installed? Well, read on to learn how they’re installed, the cost of solar panels, and the benefits that come with going green with the help of solar companies.

How Are Solar Panels Installed?

You may be someone who loves to do it yourself, however, solar panels are one project to leave to the professionals. Unfortunately, going solar is not something that will happen in a day or two, it can actually take a couple of months for the entire process to be completed.

Once you’ve decided to get solar panels on your roof, you will then need to contact a solar professional, to get the ball rolling on the project. Below, we’ve outlined the steps of the solar panel installation for you.

Consultation

When you have found the right solar company for you, they will come out to your house for a consult. During this visit, the professionals will inspect your roof and make sure that it can structurally handle the weight of solar panels. As well, they will look at your electrical panel to see if it is compatible with the amount of current the solar panels will need.

Along with these evaluations, the company will most likely take pictures of the house, measurements of the roof, look at the angle of the roof, the shading that happens on the roof. This all happens before you sign any type of contract.

Permits and Paperwork

Once your house has been approved to have solar panels installed, it’s time for the company you are working with to get down to the paperwork. As with any type of home improvement, some permits must be obtained, and documents need to be read, signed, and filed.

This is also when you will apply for any state or federal incentives for solar energy.

Another side of the paperwork which you will work on will be the ordering of equipment. This is when you will work with the solar professionals on choosing the right solar panels for your roof, and how many you should invest in. For the average-sized family home, they suggest installing a 5 kW to 6 kW solar system to help reduce utility bills.

Depending on the size of the solar panels and system, you could look at an installation cost anywhere from 7,000 dollars to 25,000 dollars on the high end.

Installation

The actual installation of your solar panels is a process that will take a day or two, depending on how many panels you are having installed. The process starts by making sure all your shingles are properly attached before then putting in the electrical wiring that will connect to your electrical panel.

After doing the wiring, they will install a rack that supports the solar panels. Once the rack is properly installed, they can place the panels on them. The last step in the process is to connect the inverters to the solar panels that will convert direct current energy into alternating current energy, which is what we use in homes and on the electric grid.

Inspection

Before connecting your solar panels to the electric grid, the last step is an inspection from your town’s government. This inspection is to double-check the installer’s work and to make sure that everything meets the codes set by the government.

Once the local inspection is done, someone from your electric company will also come by to do their own evaluation of the solar panel system.

Energization

Once the representative from your electrical company has approved, this is when your system will go live and attach it to the grid. However, it may take a couple of weeks to a month for everything to be approved and for the interconnection to actually go live.

Going Solar

Now that we have answered your question of “how are solar panels installed?” we hope you give thought to reaching out to a solar company for a consultation. The benefits of installing solar panels and going green aren’t limited to saving money, you can also expect to do your part in moving away from fossil fuels that are doing damage to our earth.

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