Many people worldwide are shifting to solar energy due to the numerous benefits that come with it. While switching from electricity to solar should be straightforward, it may be a challenge for those who don’t have enough information about the whole process. In this post, we’ll look at five key ways you can prepare for solar panel installation at your residential or commercial property.

1. Conduct Roof Inspection

If you’re going to install your solar system on the roof, you’ll have to ensure it can support the panels’ weight. Ordinarily, most roofs can comfortably handle the extra weight, but still, it’s important to look for a third-party building inspector/structural engineer to confirm that your roof can easily hold your entire solar system. If there are any repairs or upgrades to be done, do them before installing the solar panels.

2. Check Shading on Your Property

Proper functioning of the panels may require you to trim trees or remove them altogether. If you don’t want to remove the trees shading your roof, you can consider mounting the solar panels somewhere else, such as in your backyard or on your garage’s roof.

3. Determine How Much Energy You Use

When contemplating solar panel installation, you’ll need to figure out the amount of energy your home uses regularly. For instance, you can collect electricity bills for the whole year and calculate your average monthly usage. This information will guide your solar panel consultant to decide on the number of solar panels you need for your system.

4. Check for Available Solar Incentives

When you’re working on your solar panel installation budget, you also need to look for any incentives provided by the local, state, or federal governments. These incentives play a vital role in lowering your overall installation costs, and depending on the incentives that you qualify for, you may spend a lot lower for the installation than you anticipated.

5. Get the Required Permissions and Permits

Before the actual solar panel installation, you’ll have to seek regulatory approvals from your solar company and the local building department. The entire permitting process plus pre-installation paperwork is often time-consuming and overwhelming. You’ll need to provide your equipment specifications, building plan, and the solar system’s electrical design. Your solar panel installer should guide you through this whole process.

Ready to Install Your Solar System?

If you’re considering installing solar panels at your Marin, Napa, or Sonoma property, Suntegrity Solar is here to help you with that. As one of the most reputable solar companies in the region, we aim to meet, if not exceed, our customers’ expectations. Our technicians will guide you right from the preparations to when you’ll be having fully functional solar panels in your home or business premises.