Using a solar system to power your home offers plenty of benefits. like reducing your carbon footprint and achieving a $0 power bill. But switching to solar also requires a fair amount of planning and consideration. Especially if you're brand new to renewable energy, making the decision can be intimidating and confusing on where to start.
Although we can't tell you what size system you need without looking at your home and power bills. We can tell you 5 things you should know before getting quotes and making the investment.
Before investing into a solar system, you need to make sure your roof is suitable for solar panels. North roof faces receive the most amount of sun all year. But with new solar technology, east and west facing roofs can work just as well.
You also need to consider shading and the pitch of your roof. If your roof is shaded for more than half the day, solar might not be the best investment. If your roof is flat you may need tilted frames to get the correct angle.
It’s easy to make the mistake of installing a system that isn't suitable for your energy usage and budget. It's crucial to look at your recent power bills to find out when and how much power you use to calculate the right size system that will deliver the best ROI.
You also need to work out how much you're willing to spend. Because the location of your home, number of panels, roof access, height, and brand of panels all determine the price of the installation. If you need help and want a system designed for your home, talk to our experts.
There are loads of different solar panels and inverter brands. Some high quality, some low quality, some have great warranties and others don't. It's important you choose high quality brands used by hundreds of other Aussies.
Solar Panel Warranty
It's important to choose a solar panel brand that has been around for longer than 10 years and has been used by thousands of Aussie homeowners with hundreds of positive reviews. High quality brands offer a minimum of 20 years warranty. If the warranty offered is less than 20 years, usually means the quality is lower than the industry standard. For example Canadian solar offers a 25 year warranty and are currently being used by thousands of Aussie home owners.
Inverter Warranty
A high quality solar inverter should last a minimum of 10 years and will have paid for itself many times over in that time period. Inverter warranties are typically five years, but look for warranties of 10+ years to cover the likely lifespan of the unit. For example, Sungrow is an affordable inverter brand that offers a 10-year warranty. Fronius offers a five-year warranty with a free extra five years if you register the product online.
Installation Warranty
Reputable solar installers, use high quality products, follow the Australian standard and have no problem offering an installation warranty. These warranties should cover the labor and parts related to the system. Like roof penetrations, fixings, replacing defective parts, and more. For more information, make sure to ask your contractor what kind of installation warranties they provide.
Government incentives on residential solar for Aussie home owners, is what makes solar such a good investment. The Australian Small Scale Technology Certificates program is a federal government incentive to assist homeowners in reducing the upfront cost of installing solar power. As well as kickstart the renewable energy sector. It’s important you find out what incentives you qualify for, more likely than not, you can save thousands thanks to the rebate.
Many homeowners get caught out using a solar contractor that isn't CEC accredited. Using cheap installers like this comes with many risks. Like poor installation quality, leaky roof, low quality products, no warranties or guarantees and no customer support. Make sure you go with a reputable installer that is CEC accredited, offer great warranties and have great customer support.
