Solar panels are a great way to get off the grid and end high electric bills. However, there are some pros and cons to installing solar panels. These should be considered extensively before making the major investment in solar power.
Pros
You Will Always Have Power
When monsoon season hits Arizona and power goes out for your neighbors, you will still have power. A lack of sun and damaged power lines have no effect on solar panels and your photovoltaic converter box. Everything continues to run in your home while your neighbors have to wait for power to come back on.
Panels Can Be Installed Almost Anywhere
You can install the solar panels on the roof, on the ground, or anywhere else they will fit and function. Your installer will advise you as to which location will work best for collecting solar energy for your home. Most homeowners in Arizona choose to have the panels installed on the roofs of their homes as it places the panels in the direct path of the sun during the day. If putting them on the roof of your home doesn’t really work, on the ground or another location might work better.
If You Rely Solely on Your Own Solar Power, Electric Bills Are Done
Some homeowners do a sort of “hybrid” power situation where they still pay for electricity some days but have solar power other days. If you want to skip paying any electric bill ever again, you can convert over to solar completely. It could save you thousands of dollars a year, with the solar system paying for itself in just a few years.
You Don’t Need to Cover Your Roof in Solar Panels
There’s this myth that you have to cover your entire roof in solar panels if you are going solar. That’s simply not true. You only need to install enough solar panels to produce the amount of power your home needs. Your installer will let you know how much of your roof will be covered in panels (if the panels will be installed on your roof).
Panels and Systems Don’t Take Long to Install
As long as there aren’t any other barriers in the way, solar panels install quickly. They are usually in and ready to harvest solar power within a day or two. You may have to rely on power from your electric company a little longer until your solar energy collected is enough to begin powering your home.
Cons
Solar Panels and Systems Aren’t Cheap
Solar panels and solar power systems aren’t cheap. If you make the choice to convert to solar power in your home, you are committed to this system for the rest of the time you own your home. Converting back isn’t any cheaper, either. Alterations to your roof or your property may be necessary to install the panels, and wires are run to the photovoltaic box near your electrical box in the house. Once you have paid for it and have it running, it’s not going anywhere.
You May Have to Remove Trees or Tree Limbs Prior to Installation
When installation on the roof is recommended but there are trees or tree limbs in the way, you will have to hire a different sort of contractor to remove those trees or tree limbs. The purpose is to give the panels full access to the sun as it passes over your roof, and those trees or limbs might be blocking a large part of your roof. They make it impossible for your solar panels to collect energy properly and effectively. If you don’t want to remove your trees or tree limbs, ask your installer if there’s an alternative way to install your solar panels.
Solar Panels on the Ground Are at Greater Risk of Damage
On the roof, solar panels may be hit by hail or wayward birds, but don’t often suffer damage up there. On the ground, panels can be hit, smashed, have wires or cables damaged by animals, etc. If the only feasible location for your solar panels is on the ground, you might want to consider this investment carefully. The panels will need to be checked and monitored regularly to make sure they are intact and do not require repairs.