Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever.
Are you out there for a brand new house? If you propose on putting in solar panels, it’s clever to think about the solar publicity of a house earlier than you determine to purchase. If it isn’t nicely fitted to a solar energy system, it may be tough to enhance its photo voltaic potential. Some hurdles are comparatively straightforward to beat, however not all of them.
Often, you possibly can largely decide the photo voltaic potential from the actual property itemizing and free satellite tv for pc photos. So let’s discover what it’s essential to contemplate when searching for a solar-suitable house.
Shade Reduces Solar Energy Output
Shade and photo voltaic panels usually are not a great mixture as a result of photo voltaic power depends on sunshine to provide electrical energy. Therefore, one of the crucial essential elements in a well-performing photo voltaic system is little or no shading on the roof.
Somewhat early morning or late afternoon shade received’t considerably influence your solar energy manufacturing. However, if there may be a variety of shade between about 10 a.m. and a pair of p.m., this may damage the return on funding of your photo voltaic panel system. Buildings, timber, and architectural options on the south facet of the house can solid shade at mid-day, the optimum time to generate power.
In some circumstances, you may be capable to trim a tree department or two to scale back shading dramatically. Sometimes, putting in photo voltaic panels on an connected or indifferent storage could be potential as an alternative.
Because the lifespan of a photo voltaic panel system is 25 to 30 years, it’s additionally important to think about the timber you plant round your own home as a result of they’ll finally solid shade in your photo voltaic system. Vegetation on the north facet of the home or timber that don’t develop tall sufficient to shade the roof won’t be problematic.
Optimal Roof Orientation
A south-facing, unshaded roof is good. You need your photo voltaic panels dealing with south to have the best utility invoice financial savings and the best return on funding. If your roof is oriented to face east or west, your system will produce about 20% much less electrical energy than a south-oriented roof.
East-facing photo voltaic panels will generate extra energy within the morning, whereas west-facing panels may have larger afternoon manufacturing. To make up for this, you could possibly set up a number of additional photo voltaic panels when you have ample area, however it will improve the cost of the solar power system. If the roof faces east and is partly shaded, you could want to think about different choices, like a storage roof or floor mount.
The finest approach to shortly decide the roof’s orientation is through the use of satellite tv for pc imagery, resembling Google Earth.
Available Roof Space for Solar Panels
The finest solar-suitable house may have sufficient roof area to provide 100% of your family electrical energy. However, it may be difficult to anticipate the electrical energy payments when shopping for a brand new house. If the home has an electrical water heater, vary, and heating system, it’ll probably use extra electrical energy than properties with gasoline home equipment. If potential, receive a 12 months of electrical energy payments for the home earlier than buying it to get aware of its power consumption.
The common house wants about 19 to 23 photo voltaic panels to provide 100% of the house’s electrical energy. That equates to about 335 to 405 sq. toes of roof area. Of course, this determine can fluctuate a bit relying on the effectivity of the photo voltaic panels and shading.
If a house has skylights or an advanced roofline, it could be tough to seek out 350 sq. toes of accessible area. Architectural options, resembling dormers, can shade photo voltaic panels for a part of the day, reducing your power manufacturing.
One approach to partially make up for that is to make use of high-efficiency photo voltaic panels, resembling SunPower.
Sufficient Electrical Panel Capacity
The house electrical panel distributes electrical energy from the panel to the hundreds across the house. Typically, new properties don’t want {an electrical} panel improve earlier than going photo voltaic. However, if there may be an outdated electrical panel or there isn’t ample amperage for photo voltaic electrical energy, you’ll need to improve {the electrical} panel.
Most properties want a 200-amp panel at least, and upgrading {the electrical} panel can add $1,000 to $3,000 to the solar installation cost.
Home Energy Efficiency
Before putting in photo voltaic panels, it’s essential to look at whether or not there are straightforward methods to scale back home energy consumption. For instance, putting in a low-flow showerhead will save each power and water. Check lighting fixtures in a brand new house to make sure they aren’t incandescent bulbs and improve to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs. Use pure air flow when potential to lower the usage of air con and wash garments in chilly water.
Assessing a Home’s Solar Potential
If having a house photo voltaic power system is essential to you, it’s a good suggestion to start assessing the photo voltaic potential of a property from the actual property itemizing earlier than stopping by for a exhibiting. You’ll want to think about how a lot shade the roof will get, as shade will have an effect on photo voltaic panels’ power manufacturing. You’ll additionally need to make sure that there may be sufficient roof area to generate most of your electrical energy; skylights and different architectural options might scale back your power-generating area. And if potential, receive not less than a 12 months of electrical energy payments to get a way of how a lot energy the house makes use of that will help you decide if the roof is large enough to provide all of your electrical energy.
