Installing solar panels on your property is a major project, and there are quite a few things you need to keep in mind if this is something you’re planning on having done for your home. To name a few of these concerns, you’ll need to start thinking about the shape, condition, and material of your home’s roof, any trees or other potential obstructions near your house that may incur additional expenses to remove, and whether you’ll need to temporarily move your family out of the home while any necessary work is performed for the installation.

The experienced team of San Diego-based solar panel installation professionals at Solar Switch understand each of these factors in detail. We work on installations for residential customers on a regular basis, and we’ve personally faced each of these issues many times.

That’s why in this blog post, we’re going to outline every important point you need to know if you’re thinking about scheduling a solar panel installation. We’ll also cover what makes our company a worthwhile choice to handle this project for you.

Step-by-step checklist for a solar panel installation

Installing solar panels on your home is a multi-step process that involves more than just the installation itself. A few things will need to happen before and after the panels go on your property. The full process includes:

• Site Assessment: The solar company you’re working with will need to assess the conditions of your property to determine the scope and feasibility of an installation. This is where you’ll learn of any work you’ll need in addition to the actual solar panel installation, including roof repairs or tree removal.
• Permitting: Your solar company will handle the task of obtaining the necessary government permit to proceed with the project.
• Installation: The panels are ordered and installed on your property. This part of the process also involves any necessary small-scale preparations for your roof.
• Inspection: The government will inspect your solar panels to make sure they were installed correctly. This must be completed before you can actually start using them.
• Activation: The solar panels are activated. During this phase, your solar company should demonstrate how the system works, anything you need to do to use it, and what’s needed from you to maintain the system.

If you’d like to learn more about the details involved with this process, take a look at this article from Solarpower.guide.

Preparing your roof

Most of the time, residential solar installations are performed on the roof of a home, which is why a significant part of the preparation process involves assessing the condition of your roof and taking any necessary steps to improve it. If you’re living in an older home, or one which has sustained some degree of damage from weather conditions and other causes, this can substantially impact the cost of the overall process.

There are three big points you need to consider when it comes to having your roof ready for a solar installation. These include:

• Roof age: This largely goes hand-in-hand with the material your roof is made out of and the overall condition it’s in, as different materials are built to last for varying amounts of time.
• Roof weight capacity: Whether your roof can handle the weight of the solar panels depends on how many layers of other materials, like shingles, you currently have on the roof already, in addition to broader concerns like the roof’s condition.
• Roof size: Even if your roof is made out of the right material and can handle an installation, it needs enough sun exposure and space for enough panels to make solar panels a worthwhile addition.

Book an appointment with us now!

If you’re interested in making the switch to solar, let our professional team help you get the information you need and determine whether it’s the right move for you. Book your free consultation with us now.