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Solar Panels are Definitely Right for You—Maybe

Home solar panels are becoming increasingly part of the home ownership landscape in many parts of the country. Many of our customers call up and ask whether they should install solar panels on their homes. Since we sell solar panels, we would love to say unequivocally yes, but the answer is more nuanced and our answer usually is, “it depends.” These are some of the considerations we usually give to our customers about whether they should be considering home solar panels.

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Photo March 2005 by Brian Kusler. Limited use license can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/

Are solar panels right for your home. Just because you are intent on going solar doesn’t mean that your home wants to cooperate. Solar can be placed on homes in virtually every state, but not every home is suitable for solar. If you live in a forest, solar panels aren’t going to catch many of the sun’s rays. And if you live in the city and the adjoining building casts a long shadow over your roof for much of the day, then solar panels may not be for your home. I did see at a trade show a couple of years back, a solution to some of these issues by having concentrated solar on a long pole that would peek out over the trees, but I have not seen this application ever used. For today, if you have a huge hickory over your roof or have any other obstructions, then you may want to look into buying green energy or becoming a member of a solar cooperative, where you don’t have to host the panels on your roof. 

The beauty of solar panels. Maybe it is my pet peeve, but there are some installations that I have seen that give solar energy a black eye. If the solar array is not visible from the street, then you shouldn’t have much to worry about. But if the modules are visible from the street, then there may be several issues that you will have to take into account. If you live in a historic district, it is going to be very hard to prevail on the historic preservation commission to install solar modules that are visible from the street.  I don’t say never, just it will be hard. If your home is covered by a homeowners’ association, you may have to get the approval of the association. If you need approval, the association will take a hard look at the design and there are some associations that no matter what you do, the design will simply never get approval.

     Related articles:

Homeowners Duke it Out with Their Homeowners’ Association: How Best to Solve the Problem (Part 2)

Homeowners’ Associations Battle Residents Who Want to Go Solar (Part 1)

Even if you don’t need these approvals, I think that aesthetics make a big difference. If the panels are visible, then the appearance of the panels should make a big difference.  For example, for my discerning eye, a monocrystalline panel, black on black, is more attractive or less obtrusive than a polycrystalline with a white backing. I love to see solar installations where the designers have tried to match the line of the roof. Remember that these panels are going to be on the roof of that house for 25 plus years—don’t forget about the aesthetics if you decide to crown your home with solar panels.

How long are you going to be living in your house? Solar panel installation should be considered like any other renovation project. If you are planning to move in a couple of years, then do you really want to go through the hassle of working with a solar designer and installer. True, unlike most other home improvement projects, the installation is going to be real short—a couple of days at most. But if you take design seriously (you should), getting the best design and most efficient panels is going to take some time working with a contractor.

Economics make a difference. Of all of the considerations that may persuade the vast majority of homeowners to go solar, the economics of the project are the most compelling. All of the reasons put together don’t make much difference to most homeowners, but when you are talking about the homeowner’s pocketbook, now you are talking. If you can show the homeowner that it in his or her economic interest to place solar panels on their home, then most homeowners will allow you to continue the conversation. If not, well, not every homeowner is a treehugger.

The economics of solar energy has not been awe inspiring, which is one of the reasons that solar energy is still less than 1% of the energy consumption in the United States. But as the price of solar panels has come down, and there are still tax credits to be had, then the pace of solar energy adoption is quickening.  And if you are one of these people on the fence about solar energy and want to know how it will benefit you economically, then remember that the tax credits that you can currently enjoy will expire at the end of 2016.

These are the major considerations that our SolarTown customers seem to be interested in.  We also have folks who are not on the grid who are looking for power when there is no electrical outlet around. That is a different story. But for those who are thinking about solar energy, there has been no better time to go solar.