Are you spending too much on your monthly energy bill? Have you always wanted to explore solar but never had a good enough reason to invest in a solar system?
Recently, Ohio introduced energy rebates, tax exemptions, and net metering. As if those weren’t reason enough, the price of solar panels has dropped by around 70% since 2014.
Confused by all the terminology like “peak sun hours”, “net metering”, and how to deal with installation? Let’s take a look at some of the fundamentals that you’ll need to know before you invest in solar energy.
Peak Sun Hours
When looking at the logistics of getting a solar system installed, you’ll definitely hear this phrase often. This is one of the most important factors in an installation, and it will determine whether your solar works well or not.
Really, all we’re talking about when we say “peak sun hours” is the average amount of sun that a given place gets through the day. That’s not the same as the number of daylight hours (i.e. from sunrise to sunset), so be sure to keep that definition in mind.
The average number of hours of sunlight that your house gets will decide how much energy you can generate. Simple. That may sound hard to figure out, but there are many very clever people online, and they’ve created a solar system calculator. Simply plug in your address, and the calculator will tell you what your peak sun hours figure is.
Net Metering
Investment in solar systems became far more attractive when certain states introduced net metering. Any excess generation gets converted into energy credits that count against next month’s energy bill when using net metering.
Some states will even send you money back at the end of a 12 month period if you’ve generated more than you used. So not only can you offset your energy cost each month, but you can also end up being paid out each year.
Installation
The solar industry has changed a lot in the last few years, and it’s easier than ever to have a system installed. There are many advocates for DIY installations, but the risks can be significant.
In order to properly position your panels, you would need to calculate the optimal position, angle, and mounting. Brackets can be complicated to figure out, and that doesn’t take into account any personal danger or damage to property.
It really pays to get an expert to do your solar panel installation for you rather than attempting to do it yourself. There are too many horror stories of people drilling holes in their roofs and never being able to plug all the leaks.
Given how more solar is being used these days, it should be fairly simple to find a local solar company that’s both close to you and trusted. After all, Ohio is a big place, and with net metering being mandated for all residential solar owners, it makes sense to get it done sooner rather than later.
Finding the Best Solar Company
Of course, finding the company that will work best for you can be difficult. We’d recommend that you find someone that fits your budget, has good local reviews, and you can trust to do your installation properly.
Don’t be afraid to ask the company questions. At the very least, the company should be able to tell you about local rebates, net metering and understand your peak sun hours.
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