The cost to install solar panels declined by 70% over the last 10 years. Since it’s much more affordable, you may be looking at installing solar panels in your home.
If you want to get the most out of your investment, you need to make sure that your solar panels are installed properly. Some of the common mistakes could end up costing a lot of money.
Read on to learn what the big solar installation mistakes are and what you can do to avoid them.
Lack of Planning
Is it worthwhile installing solar? When you take the time to plan the solar installation, it is. You need to make sure that you have the right positioning and measurements.
You’ll need to figure out how much weight your roof can take. You also have to figure out the angle of the roof for the best placement of the panels.
Don’t Know Tax Incentives
Did you know that there are financial benefits when you install solar panels? If you install solar panels by the end of 2020, you can get a 26% tax credit. That drops to 22% in 2021 and the tax credit goes away in 2022.
States also have tax incentives. You’ll want to check with your state’s department of energy to see what they are and when they expire.
Trying DIY Solar Installation
Can you install solar panels on your own? You may be able to, depending on your location. Just because you can install solar panels, doesn’t mean that you should.
Here are a couple of things that can go wrong during the installation. You don’t know the building codes in your area, so your installation could violate those codes.
You might not know that you have to install a converter to connect the solar panels to your power system. Doing this incorrectly could lead to a fire or damage to your electrical system.
Choose the Wrong Size Panels
You may think that the biggest solar panels are the best for your home. That’s not always the case. Large solar panels could be too heavy for your roof.
You need to get solar panels that are appropriate for your home’s size and location.
You Lease Your Solar Panel System
You may be approached by solar installation services to lease the solar panels. This may seem like a good idea because you can lower your monthly payments.
The bad thing is that you don’t own the solar panels, so you can’t reap all of the benefits of ownership. You may not be able to take advantage of the tax incentives.
It can also be hard to sell your home during the lease period because the lease isn’t transferrable.
Avoid the Top Solar Installation Mistakes
When it comes to installing solar panels, there are a number of costly mistakes that are avoidable.
The most common solar installation mistakes stem from a lack of planning and thinking that you can install the panels yourself. You’re much better off leaving the installation to the pros. Just make sure that you own the panels outright after installation.
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