Wondering if your home is perfect for a solar energy system? Here are five signs that your home is ready for solar. If your property doesn’t check all these boxes, don’t worry, it might still work for solar, and we can help you determine that. Plus, we’ve included some tips on how you can optimize your home for solar if it’s not quite hitting these marks. Let’s get into it.
1. Your Roof Gets Plenty of Sunlight
Ample sunlight is clearly a requirement for efficient solar energy systems. If your roof gets full sun for most of the day, especially between 10 am and 4 pm, you’re in great shape.
How do you know if your home is getting enough sunlight?
- Minimal shading from trees, chimneys, or neighboring buildings
- South-facing orientation
- East- or west-facing roofs may work well, too
Still not sure? We can take a quick peek at your home’s potential, so give our team a call if you’d like to learn how much solar could benefit you.
2. Your Roof Is in Good Condition
Solar panels are designed to last 25+ years. What about your roof? If your roof is more than 10 or 15 years old, sags, leaks, or is damaged, complete repairs or replace your roof before installing your solar panels.
3. Your Electricity Bills Are High
The higher your electricity bills are, the more money you’ll save with solar energy. If you’re paying a lot per month on your electricity bill, solar could make a big dent in your electricity costs. And, taking advantage of net metering programs can save you even more money.
4. You Have Enough Roof (or Yard) Space
A typical solar energy system requires approximately 300 to 400 square feet of space, whether it’s installed on your roof or on the ground. Is your roof large enough to accommodate panels, or do you have suitable yard space? Is your roof or yard going to be free from shade in the long term? Remember that even if your space is limited, a smaller system could still offset a portion of your electricity usage.
5. You Plan to Stay in Your Home Long-Term
The payoffs of installing solar are immediate, but homeowners make the most of their investment if they plan to stay in their homes long-term. If you anticipate staying in your home over the next 5 to 10 years, you are more likely to recoup the upfront costs of going solar as well as enjoy more years of energy bill savings. When it’s time to sell, your solar energy system can increase your home’s resale value, too.
Optimizing Your Property for Solar
So, what if your roof is older or you just don’t think you get enough sun? There are some things you can do to optimize your property for solar energy. If trees are creating too much shade, consider trimming branches or installing your panels on a sunny garage roof or on the ground.
If you need to replace your roof, you may qualify for financing and incentives to help you pay for a new roof as part of your solar energy system investment. And if you’re on a very shady lot but still want to go solar, community solar programs might be a solution.
But if your property checks most or all of the boxes above, congratulations! You’re a great candidate for solar. TruNorth Solar can design the setup for you to optimize your site so you can enjoy clean, renewable power and major energy savings for years to come.
Want to know if your home is ideal for solar? Get in touch with the TruNorth Solar team today.