10 Tips For Going Solar

On the surface, going solar is an expensive, complicated process. Yet, ironically enough, many of the following tips for going solar – indeed the very lifestyle that a successful solar installation warrants – encourage us to simplify our lives. Nevertheless, solar panels are still costly right off the shelf and nearly double in price as they go on your roof. Without some help, the solar industry would likely be as fledgling as it was when Ronald Reagan removed the solar panels from the White House roof.

Fortunately, there has been help from local, state and federal governments. Help from utilities. Help from neighbors, volunteers and our communities. All this help has dropped the end cost of solar installation considerably, but at the same time, demands a multifaceted approach to going solar. In fact, in the process of getting solar power into your home at the most inexpensive, efficient manner, the actual installation of solar panels is last on a sizable list.

But in the interest of guiding hands, here are 10 tips that will illustrate the grand approach now highly recommended by conservationists and solar professionals alike. We hope it will smooth your complex transition to a simpler lifestyle.

Photo Credit: greenforall.org

1. Green the home. An efficient home requires less power. Less need for power signifies a need for less solar panels. Less solar panels equal smaller initial cost of the solar system. Case in point.
2. Monitor and reduce electricity usage. As soon as you start considering home solar power, begin monitoring your electric bill (or your water bill for solar thermal systems) if you aren’t already. Almost universally, homeowners find ways to further reduce their usage – from switching to energy efficient light bulbs to installing attic fans. In the end, you’re making yourself and your home more efficient.
3. Site review/Hiring an installer. One of your first steps should be to consult with local solar installers. Get installation estimates, a site analysis and simply meet and greet with the professional who may soon be solidifying your energy future. A qualified installer will have thorough knowledge of all the above topics and should be a valuable resource throughout the planning and installation process.
4. Workshop/Take a Solar Tour. Solar events, such as workshops and solar tours, are spreading like morning sunlight across the country. As more homes go solar, more homeowners are opening their doors to those interested in going solar. It’s a great opportunity to meet and discuss the solar transition with those who’ve already made the journey. Many local or regional solar organizations offer workshops and public meetings to provide information on solar energy–another opportunity to meet local solar enthusiasts, proponents and installers.
5. Research incentives. The gamut of solar financial incentives (usually in the form of tax credits) runs from your municipality to the federal government. Gauging the end cost and ongoing energy savings to come from your solar system will require a working knowledge of all available incentives.
6. Get to know permit fees. Here’s a detail that will likely be ironed out over the next few years. But for now, solar permit fees can vary extremely from one city or county to the next. In one town, fees may total less than $300, while in the next, they’ll reach over $1,000. Getting to know which and how many permit fees you’ll have to pay can save you an unpleasant surprise as your solar plan is put into action.
7. Neighborhood Association? Believe it or not, there are still some Neighborhood Associations or subdivision rules that prohibit or limit solar installations. Does yours?
8. Get to know the neighbors. On a different note, approaching your neighbors and other community members about going solar could reap big financial benefits for all. Group buying is an effective way to reduce up-front solar costs by purchasing in bulk.
9. Home energy audit. In the first two tips, I suggested the all-important act of increasing personal and home energy efficiency. The best way to identify exactly how to go about that is to perform or have a professional perform a home energy audit. These are tests that examine your home energy efficiency and outline ways to improve it. They are increasingly subsidized by governments or utilities, yet another possible incentive to research.
10. A new roof. Solar panels last a long time. Most are warranted for 25 years and can be expected to last 30-40 years or longer. Will your roof last that long? There is little logic in installing a solar system only to remove it a few years later for new roofing.

Posted on September 2nd in Going Solar by Dan.