How to know if solar is right for your home

If you're a homeowner who has been thinking about adding solar panels to your property, you may be considering such a step for a number of reasons. Not only are they the kind of investment that pay for themselves by reducing power bills, but they also add to your property's value.

However, not every home will get the same utility out of a solar rig being installed on their roof, so you have to do a little research to see if solar is right for you. The following considerations should matter quite a bit in your final decision:

What is your roof like?

These days, most solar setups are installed right on your home's roof, so there are a handful of considerations that will make you an ideal candidate for solar. First, according to Brighte, is whether your roof can support a solar rig large enough to be worth the investment. Likewise, your roof obviously has to get enough direct sunlight throughout the day to ensure you're getting the most out of this investment.

Luckily, a lot of this can be figured out with a quick look. You should have a pretty good idea of how big a normal home solar setup is, and whether that conforms with what your roof has to offer. But you must also look at how much shade falls on your roof throughout the day, and the direction in which the side you will install solar on points; as long as it's not south, you should be a good candidate.

Crunch the numbers

As you might imagine, solar panels aren't exactly cheap to install, so CNET says you should definitely consider all the costs involved, investigate whatever rebates and incentives you may qualify for, and of course, look at your power use to see how much you would be able to save each month or year. Once you have a rough estimate of how much it costs versus how much you'll save over time, you can make the most informed decision possible.

If your reason behind installing solar is to raise the resale value of your home, it might be helpful to consult with a real estate agent first. An experienced professional from Ray White Surfers Paradise can advise you about the best ways to approach every aspect of the sales process, so get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you.