Around 210,000 homes in Texas are currently using solar energy to meet their electricity needs. If you’re thinking about switching to solar, you’re in good company then!
However, if you are going to install solar panels in your home then you’ll need to put together a solar plan. So what does this involve and how can you do it successfully?
Read on to find out our top three tips for putting together a solar panel plan for your home.
Table of Contents
1. Assess Your Solar Potential
If you are planning on installing solar panels with the help of a local solar company, you need to assess your home’s solar potential. This determines whether solar paneling is compatible with your home.
You will need to look at:
- Shade from nearby trees and other buildings around your home
- How old your roof is and when it will next need replacing
- Whether or not there are any neighborhood and homeowner associations that might restrict solar planning permission
This is essential for putting together passive solar home plans. Once you know that your home is suitable for solar power, you’re ready to move on to the next step of solar planning.
2. Check Out the Different Solar Plan Options
There are now more options than ever when it comes to using solar power in your home. This means that you no longer simply have to buy a system, install it and maintain it yourself.
Now you can also:
- Use a community or shared solar system with nearby homes
- Lease a solar energy system
- Access a solar energy system through a power purchase agreement (or PPA)
- Become part of a local solarize program
If you are not sure that you can commit to owning and running your own system then these provide great options for accessing solar power. Depending on where you live, some options will be more accessible than others.
However, if you are planning on using solar electricity in the long term, it might be worth investing in your own system. Eventually, this will pay off in comparison to leasing a system, for example.
3. Estimate Your Electricity Needs
Before you start using a solar power system, it’s important to understand exactly how much energy you need. This will tell you the size of the system that you need.
On average, homes in Texas use 1,176 kWh of electricity each month but this can vary depending on the size of your home and the number of people living in it. You can find out exactly how much energy you use by looking at your annual or monthly bills.
It’s worth noting that your electricity bills will be higher in certain months compared to others. This is also a good opportunity to review your energy usage and to find ways to reduce it where possible.
Get Support from Solar Companies in Plano, TX
If you are putting together a solar plan there are plenty of things that you need to consider. Getting help from Texas solar companies will ensure that your solar house plans come off without a hitch!
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