18 Dec 2021

Solar panels are essentially free energy, not to mention clean, free energy. They can be a great option for any home and an excellent way to cut down on your energy bills long-term, but it also takes some planning to make sure that they are actually installed efficiently and reliably.

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Here are some things to keep in mind if you are going to install solar panels soon, especially if you have not done any preparation yet.

Permits

Remember that solar panels generally need some kind of permit or permission to install. This is not always the case, but in more urban areas, it might be important for getting rooftop installations. Be sure to look into the relevant permits ahead of time, even if you are only getting one or two panels.

These permits are not meant to restrict your freedom – they are there to make sure that you are getting your panels installed legally, safely, and to a good standard of quality. The higher the power output of the panels, the more important this becomes since they can be increasingly dangerous if installed poorly.

Always check with your local government or council before you start getting anything installed, just in case. There may be extra fees involved or specific ways that you need to get the panels installed, which would not apply in other locations. The more you know, the better you can plan ahead.

Be sure to look into any other related details or legal issues that might be involved, too. For example, you might need specific documents to prove that you are allowed to install panels, such as if you have just recently bought the house for yourself or inherited it from another family member.

Roofing

Your roof needs to be able to support a solar panel for you to install one. If your roof is poorly-maintained or has other key issues that can make it unsuitable for a panel, then you can’t officially have one installed – and even if you can, you should not.

Not only can a solar panel be in danger of falling off if the roof begins to slip, but it can also cause electrical problems, interfere with the panel’s efficiency, or make the wiring dangerous. If your roof is not in a good state of repair, then you will want to repair and refresh it before installing a panel.

Orientation matters a lot, too. While a solar panel can work on any roof that gets sunlight, choosing the right spot and direction can still be important to maximizing your electrical output. West and south-facing roof areas are generally said to be the best but are not always available.

The slant is important as well. Certain specialists will have tools to make judging this positioning easier, but it is something that can really influence how well your panels work. If you place them in the wrong location, they can become a lot less efficient in the long term.

Cost

The cost of residential solar panels can be surprising to many people, but it is not hard to start saving for it. The important part is being aware of what the costs might be and how you can ensure that you can pay those costs when necessary.

Remember that preparation work, like repairing your roof, installing new wires, or getting a specialist to find the ideal location for your panel, can all cost money. You will often have to spend a little before you even choose a solar panel, let alone start installing one.

Once that is all sorted out, you need to know what kind of work you will need to do during the installation. Different panels are installed in different ways, and the more panels you have, the more that will have to be installed and wired into your property’s electrical system.

On top of that, there can be extra costs for quite a range of things, such as extra safety measures or specific installation requirements. Try to get a basic plan of how much it will all cost, but set aside some money to make things a little easier once the installation actually begins.

Disposal

There can be a lot of waste products involved in getting solar panels installed, sometimes in ways that you would not really expect. The more work is involved – like repairing the roof – the more waste you can generate, and it is not always waste that you can simply re-use or throw away normally.

Dealing with the waste is important for keeping your home clean and making sure that everywhere is safe, as well as making sure that you are not cluttering up a certain room. Even something as small as old roof tiles can be hard to dispose of, and they only have limited DIY uses.

Renting a dumpster (like the ones we offer) is a great alternative to simply keeping around unwanted waste, and it can actually help you dispose of larger amounts of trash without needing to juggle multiple services. One dumpster can hold a huge amount of waste with ease.

For example, if you recently made renovations and have just had some new panels installed, then you can throw away the renovation debris and the old roof tiles at the same time with a dumpster. You do not have to do anything except carry it to the dumpster, and we can take care of the rest.

Consider this as an option if you are planning to get any solar panels or do other large-scale work soon. Having a good disposal method is always a major benefit, and it can simplify the hardest part of clearing up a space – figuring out where to take the debris that you can’t simply toss in your regular trash can.