Are you an eco-warrior?
Utilizing renewable energy in every part of your house would be great. But how realistic is it? The technology around renewable energy is still in development.
Solar energy technology, on the other hand, is already well advanced. And it could be the perfect source of renewable energy for your home.
So now you may be wondering, is my house suitable for solar panels? There are three questions you’ll need to answer:
1. Where Do You Live?
Saving money on your utility bills while helping the earth is a win-win. But the benefits of solar panels will depend on how much sun you get where you live.
While solar panels are at their best in places where there are at least four hours of sunlight each day, it’s not a complete deal breaker if that’s not the situation in your locale. After all, your solar panels will still produce power on cloudy days.
Even on overcast days, solar panels still absorb energy from the sun. They’ll just produce 10 – 25% of their capacity. So that means you’ll need to be able to rely on your local electric company for some of your power.
The most significant factor is how much sunshine you get on average each year. And the temperature makes no difference.
So if you live in a cold climate with plenty of sun, such as Colorado, you’ll have better luck with solar panels than if you live in a warm state like Louisiana where there isn’t as much annual sunlight.
2. Do You Have the Right Roof?
If you’ve established that solar panels make sense for where you live, the next point of consideration is the type of roof you have. Solar panels will work best on roofs free of too many obstructions (vents, antennas, chimneys, etc.) and comprised of composite, asphalt type shingles, metal, or concrete tiles.
That doesn’t rule out materials like wood, tile, or clay, though. As long as they’re sturdy, you should be okay. Just be sure to get the proper installation of your solar panels by experienced professionals. They’ll help you determine if the type of roof you have is going to be problematic.
3. Do You Have Enough Room?
When looking at how to install solar panels, the easiest way to determine if you have enough room is to start by referring to your electricity bill to find out how many kilowatts on average your home uses each month. Then measure your available roof space.
The average solar panel measures about 17.6 square feet. Under direct sunlight, it will produce around 265 watts of energy. That equates to 15 watts per square foot.
Take your available roof space square footage and divide it by 17.6 to determine how many panels will fit there. Then multiply that by 265 watts. Multiply that number by 30 to determine the monthly wattage.
If it matches the number on your energy bill, then solar is an excellent option for you. If the difference isn’t too large, you could still use solar panels as a supplemental energy source.
Are You Still Wondering Is My House Good for Solar?
Hopefully, the above three questions have given you a more precise answer to the question, is my house good for solar panels?
If it is, you could be saving money…and the planet!
And for more great articles about going green, keep checking back with our blog.
