BEFORE YOU GO SOLAR, READ THESE DO’S & DONT’S

-Save yourself Time & Money before you buy Solar for your home or business.

2014 â€" Solar panels are everywhere! People are saving money and you’ve heard all the ads. Your neighborhood is already getting their installations and you are still considering the move. Don’t worry. You wont make the same mistakes they’ve made.

Getting the Job:

Do: Get as many bids as you can. That is always the best place to start.

Don’t: Hire the first guy who says to go green. Most times start up companies are from out of state or are pushing an inferior chinese panel.

Credentials:

Do: ask to see business history, photos of recent installations, and if possible a local homeowner who has used the company. If any of these questions arent recieved well, that can serve as a red flag.

Don’t: Trust in the product and the Slogans.
The idea of solar is synonymous with saving the planet, and it’s to a con man’s delight. Many things can go wrong in this situation.

Planning Installation:

Do: Expect whoever comes to your house to have a ladder, camera, tape measure, compass, clip board and a calculator.

Don’t: Listen to anyone who can tell you exactly what you need without even going on the roof. Planning is everything. Solar Panels have been mounted on shaded rooftops before! ouch…

Installation Method:

Do: Ask how the panels will be attached to your building, and what product line they use. Stainless Steel hardware or Zinc coated from home depot?

Don’t: Trust the “Expert”. You may end up with a wooden frame supporting your array.

Roof Type:

Do: Find out how solar is traditionally installed on your rooftype. Solar panel mounting systems currently are designed for all roof types and applications.

Don’t: Listen to anyone who says Solar panels cannot be mounted on your rooftype. They may be lacking professional experience in the field.

Pipes and Paths:

Do: Come up with an idea of where you would like to have the electrical conduit route. If you have an attic you can virtually hide everything but the panels on the roof. Many installers wont take the time and will leave pipes traveling all over your roof and across your walls.

Don’t: Wait until you come home to find out where “Da Solar Guy” ran a pipe across the house. Could be in the last place you hoped. And chances are he wont want to change it.

Wall Mount Inverters / Electrical Boxes:

Do: Decide where the wall mount items will go. Can be inside the garage, a closet, or on an outside wall. The only Unit that must be available is a disconnect for the power company in case of emergency. The rest is up to the Homeowner/HOA.

Don’t: Let whoever shows up at your house that day to do the installation decide for you. He wants to put it where there will be the least amount of work involved. Perhaps right beside your front door or on the weather exposed side of the structure.

Now this will give anyone an advantage when the salesman or saleswoman comes to the house. Many times these agents will make everything sound simple so make sure the details of your installation are in writing before signing any contracts.

Any questions or comments feel free below