Unsure If You Should Go Solar?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re considering solar panels. Many folks confess they aren’t sure where to start. The first question to answer is whether you’re a good candidate. We put together a flow chart to help you.

Check it out:

Now that you’ve seen the chart, here come the caveats.

Whether the investment pencils out for you depends as much on your priorities as dollars and cents. For some folks, going solar is a good financial investment. Others are most excited about helping the environment with cleaner energy.

Then there’s your specific setup. Take your roof size. One solar company might conclude you don’t have enough space to produce the power you’d hoped for. Others could say what you’ve got is just fine or suggest an awning for your shiny new panels.

Bottom line: This is a general guide that’ll help you assess whether rooftop solar might work for you but you’ll need to consider your own priorities and consult solar companies to get a final answer.

Some Keys to the Solar Equation

Your Energy Bill: Some solar companies aren’t interested unless your average electric bill is at least $100 a month. But others are willing to take on customers with bills as low as $50 to $75 a month. Smaller bills generally mean it’ll take longer to recoup the cost of your solar investment and result in less savings in energy bills. This may not matter as much if greener energy is important to you.

Moving Soon? The specifics of your situation matter, including the way you pay for your panels. If you buy the panels outright, you may be able to tack the cost of the panels onto the sale price of your house and enjoy energy bill savings in the months or years before you move.

But if you opt to lease or take out a loan to get solar panels, you may not see a full return on your investment or end up making payments after you move. Some financing plans have clauses that make it easier to transfer the panels to the new homeowner to make this less of a hassle, though.

Your Roof: Many solar companies are willing to work with various types of shingles and tiles, including Spanish clay. But older roofs may need to be replaced or repaired before you add solar panels. If you need to do that soon, experts recommend contacting solar and roofing companies at the same time so they can coordinate.

Source and read more here: Voice of San Diego

This article relates to: Must Reads, Quest: Solar, Science/Environment

Photos by Jamie Scott Lytle, Copyright.