How To Get Started With Solar

Many homeowners love the idea of slashing their monthly expenses, especially their electric bill. Using electricity is an inevitable part of life these days, but it comes at a pretty high cost. You could whittle that figure down with the installation of solar panels on your home. This is an appealing option for many people who want to use cleaner energy, save money, and even go entirely off-grid.

If you are thinking you want to get started with solar, here is what you will need to know upfront:
 
Figure Out How Much Energy You Use

The first thing you need to do if you plan to get started with solar is to determine how much electricity you are currently using. You may be able to do this online through the power company or by looking at your previous monthly statements. You should be looking for your kWh usage every month for the past year. Add up all the numbers and divide by 12 to find the average/month.

Decide on a System

Once you know how much electricity you use, you can start to determine what type of system you want. Some people don’t mind having their solar panels tie into the electric company’s grid. This saves them money on their monthly statement, and it also allows them to utilize standard electricity as a backup. Others prefer to have a completely off-grid system, either with or without a battery backup.

During this stage, you can start to research individual components such as the panels, batteries, and grid tie-ins. There are lots of name brands and sizes on the market, so be sure to do some solid research before you invest in a new solar system.

Determine System Size

This next part gets a bit tricky. You need to determine what system size you actually need. It can help to define your goals first. Do you just want to save money monthly or are you interested in being entirely off the grid? If you still plan to rely on standard electricity for some things, you may not need a huge system. On the other hand, you may need a more involved system if you are going off-grid entirely.

Keep in mind that larger systems will also come with a larger price tag. It can be a hefty initial investment, but you will recoup some of those costs in monthly savings. This is why purchasing the right system matters. You don’t want to spend too much money to purchase a system that you don’t need when you are first getting started with solar panels.

Trust the Professionals

If you are serious about getting solar panels, it can be best to let the experts give you an assessment on what you actually need. We can take into account your goals, your current electrical usage, and your particular home to give you the best advice possible.