Solar Roof Panels

Solar roof panels systems will cost you a fortune if you buy and install them through a solar company or solar franchise. To produce enough electricity to power a small apartment, about one kilowatt, will cost you between $10k – $15k. Most of the time this won’t be enough power to allow to go off grid. For a 2 kW and 5 kW solar system the prices range from $20,000 – $50,000. Bear in mind of course that these prices are for new modern houses and only provide a set amount of power. They don’t provide enough electricity for you to become self sufficient.

The good news is that there is a cheaper way! You can either build and install them yourself, or pay an electrician to do it for you. Doing it this way will literally save you thousands! The following review outline the current top DIY solar roof panels guides on the market.

Solar Roof Panels

If you have an old house and you want to have enough solar roof panels to power your whole house, it’ll set you back a minimum of $100,000. Most of the time it’s going to cost you upwards of $200,000. It’s really only worth getting solar roof panels in an old house if you’re replacing the roof, and even then you’d still have to be in the house for a long time to get a return on your investment.

Rebates and Tax Breaks

The news regarding costs is not all bad. The federal government has solar rebates in place in order to encourage more homeowners to go green. What this essentially means is that the government will pay for up to 30% of the total installation costs for your solar roof panels. If you’re in the states it’s also well worth checking the local policies on this. Eco-friendly states like California have their own rebate system on top of federal rebate which can save you even more on the total cost.  

South Facing

Before considering solar roof panels it’s important to determine the direction your roof is facing. This is obviously easier for new builds a you can engineer exactly the best angle for maximum efficiency. This angle will be different depending on which country you live in. In the states you’ll want to place them on the south facing aspect of your roof to capture maximum sun.

Technology

Solar panel technology has advanced considerably in recent years. The panels are now both slimmer and more energy efficient. The solar roof panels now are made to look more like part of the actual roof. In some cases these solar roof panels actually double up as roof tiles, shingles or slate tiles, thereby completely blending into the design of the building. The installation of these types of systems requires each panel to be wired in separately. This option is obviously more costly as compared with a grid tie system which sits on top of your existing roof. It is really only viable for new executive style homes if done through a solar roof panels company or franchise.

DIY

The availability of solar roof panels has also become easier for the home consumer. A lot of families install these solar panels systems themselves, or hire someone local to do it for them. If you’re thinking of getting solar panels for your home it’s important that you know it is very possible to build your own grid tie solar roof panel system for under $200 per panel.

The price difference between doing this and using a solar franchise is purely the greedy profit these companies skim from you. It’s very possible to get the same solar roof panels they use on your own if you know where to look. Beware of the free in home consultation! Of course they’ll give a free consultation, but don’t think that they’re being generous here. As soon as they spring the quote on you and give you the hard sell, before you know it you’ve shelled out a hundred grand on your solar roof panels.