When it comes to getting a solar panel installation there’s going to be a lot of information out there, especially in regards to the cost of solar. The cost of solar can determine if you get a solar panel installation or not. The cost of solar power systems is going to be different from rooftop to rooftop, but the good news is, adding a solar panel installations to your rooftop, no matter the solar power system’s size, is an investment that is going to start giving back, almost as soon as installed. Homeowners are also going to have the ability to take advantage of federal and state solar incentives that are currently available, helping homeowners cover over 26% of the cost of a solar power system. These solar incentives have made getting a solar panel installation that much easier.

When you begin to research getting a solar panel installation and begin getting a few quotes from reputable solar installers, there are going to be some questions that you should be sure to ask the solar installers. By asking the solar installers these questions it will help homeowners solidify that they are making the right decision.

Questions to Ask Your Solar Installer

How Do You Calculate The Right Solar Power System Size For My Home?

Sizing a solar power system is going to be extremely important, and it is a lot more complicated than simply looking at your solar power system and selecting a solar power system that is going to generate enough solar power to cover your usage.

The solar installer that you end up selecting when your use electricity in your home, not only as much as your use - because if you only use your electricity at night, a solar power system isn’t going to do you much good. If your solar installer says that this calculation is going to be an easy one, you may want to find a new one.

What Solar Panels Are they Quoting?

When it comes to installing solar panels, homeowners are going to have a whole lot of options. You can choose from the color, warranties, and production efficiency, all of which will affect the cost of solar panels. Depending on the solar installer that you choose, homeowners are typically going to have the option to choose from dark blue solar panels with a visible grid, black solar panels with a visible grid, and solid black solar panels without a visible grid. There are going to be certain homeowners that have a stronger preference, and others don’t, therefore it is going to come down to your personal aesthetics that you desire.

However, a bigger factor than you may want to take into consideration for the solar panels is going to be the efficiency and warranty of the solar panels that they are quoting. The most efficient solar panels are going to produce more solar power from the same amount of the surface area, but the cost of solar panels is going to be a little higher. If you have shading or limited roof space, the solar panels that are going to be a little more efficient will be better. Most solar panels are going to offer warranties up to 25 years, depending on the make and the model. You should also check on this as a good warranty that can help you maximize the savings potential from your solar power system for years to come.

What Financing Options Are They Going to Offer?

There are going to be two ways that you can acquire solar panels and become more energy-independent: buy purchasing or leasing your solar panels. The most important thing to understand about each option is that when leasing your solar panels, the company that you are leasing from is going to own your solar power system and is able to collect any of the available solar incentives. When you buy your solar panels, you will be able to keep the solar tax incentives for yourself.

You can buy a solar power system outright with cash, or with a loan, and retain all of the solar energy tax benefits that come with getting a solar panel installation. It is recommended that you only finance the necessary portion of the net cost after solar incentives to get the best payback, solar leases are going to be a great option for those who aren’t going to have a tax liability and aren’t able to claim any of the solar incentives from it anyway. A qualified solar installer will be able to walk you through the different financing options in order to determine which one works best for your unique situations.

What Is the Product Warranty On The Solar Panels?

You are going to want to do some research on this one. A lot of the less-than-reputable solar installers will claim that your need to get your solar power system regularly serviced by their solar company in order for your warranty to still be valid. Solar power systems are only going to need to be checked every 5 years and cleaned once a year for maximum performance.