subject: Important Things You Should Know Before Buying Solar Panels [print this page] Buying solar panels is quite possibly one of the best things you can do for yourself and for the environment. Solar power will save you money on your electric bill, earn you money when you sell it back to the power grid, and lower your carbon footprint. Whats not to love about solar power? Before you take the leap and make such a major investment, here are several things you should know:
1. Pricing depends largely on the type of system you purchase. Solar panels are less expensive than solar tiles because they are mounted on top of an already existing roof. The more electric power the system can create, the higher the price is, in general.
2. Feed-in tariff system - If the system you purchase qualifies for the governments feed-in tariff system, you could be receiving payments from the government for up to 25 years. The tariff does guarantee payments for 25 years in some cases, although the amount you may receive has been getting lower in recent years. Always check the latest numbers on the feed-in tariff system to see how much revenue you may general with various systems.
3. Installation of a solar power system - Make sure that any company you receive a quote from for a solar power system goes into the loft to check whether your roof can support the system. Some roofs are not suitable for installation of a solar power system, so receiving a quote when your roof cant support it is a waste of time.
4. Check to see whether any part of your roof is in the shade. Putting solar panels on a roof thats shaded defeats the purpose because the roof wont get enough sun to generate any power.
5. Energy usage - Think about your energy usage and lifestyle and take those into consideration when trying to decide if purchasing a solar power system is the right decision for you. If you use a lot of electricity, you may be able to benefit even more than someone who does not use a whole lot.
6. Do the math carefully to see how long it will take the system to pay for itself. There seems to be a growing trend among solar power companies in underestimating the amount of time it will take for the system to pay for itself. Often the methodology used to determine this amount of time is flawed, especially since the amount of money you get back on the feed-in tariff is now lower.
7. Maintenance cost - Remember to take into consideration maintenance and ongoing costs associated with owning a solar power system. For example, the inverter, which is a major component of the solar power system, will need to be replaced earlier than it would otherwise.
8. Complaint - Any companies that try too hard to sell you should be reported to the REAL Assurance Scheme because these tactics are against the policy.
9. Rent a roof schemes - Avoid so-called rent a roof schemes in which the company claims to be able to get you a solar power system for free. Rent a roof schemes involve actually taking a lease outon your own roof. In return, the company will install and maintain the solar panels on your roof. Of course this does mean that you dont have to come up with any cash to have the system installed, but it also means that you will not get any of the money from the feed-in tariff. The company that installed the roof will get it.
We hope this information can give you some insights before you buy solar panel. It would be wise if you work with the expert.
by: Michael Sutanto
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