The second most common question we get is, “What all is involved in a solar panel installation?” (The most common question has to do with costs, but we’ll leave that for another post) This second most common question is an excellent question because, unlike traditional electrical installations, you don’t simply call the electric company and set a date for the solar energy to be “turned on” in your home or office. A solar panel installation is a step-by-step process that takes planning and time to complete. The steps include:

STEP 1 – SET EXPECTATIONS

All solar panel installation projects start with the same two questions, “How much are you currently paying per month?” and “How much of your current electric bill do you want to offset with solar?”. The answer to these questions determines how many solar panels you will need. From there we can set capacity requirements and establish reasonable project costs. If your goal is to eliminate 100% of your electrical bill, then you can expect needing more panels (larger space requirements) as well as larger initial investment ($15,000 to $30,000 depending on the size of your home).

STEP 2 – EVALUATE

This step can take a while because it involves evaluating the property, local laws and zoning, and current electrical usage/costs to approve in the size and resources required to execute your entire solar panel installation. In Step 1 we established your energy saving expectations and in Step 2 we make sure they are “doable”. For instance, most assume solar panels will be installed on rooftops, but we run into plenty of instances where this is not optimal.

Lifetime Solar installers and project managers work with homeowners and local entities to evaluate neighborhood opinion, structural capacity, available space, zoning laws, Homeowner Association rules, and/or city ordinances. Each of these, if not properly addressed, effect the planning process. How much energy you expect to offset determines how many solar panels you need. How much space you have, and local laws/rules determine optimal placement. For a solar panel installation project to go smoothly, planning begins with questions and research.

STEP 3 – PERMITS

Getting all the necessary permits, inspections, and utility interconnections completed for your project can take time. Processing permits or obtaining permissions depends on the policies and procedures of other agencies and groups. Patience is important. This is not a step you want to skip. Remember, your solar panel installation project could come to a screeching halt without the proper permits and if your installation doesn’t meet all electrical and building codes, you could spend even more money and time resolving code violations.

STEP 4 – INSTALLATION

Once all the permits are in order and supplies have arrived the project is scheduled to begin. Lifetime Solar installers keep you informed throughout the entire project. We have been doing solar panel installations for many years and are very good at Steps 1 through 3, which makes Step 4 the easiest part of the project.

Once your installation is complete, you will be able to begin saving money and reap the benefits of your investment. For more information about solar panel benefits or our project process, feel free to contact us at (888) 477-8869 or visit our website: https://lifetimesolar.wpengine.com/.