As solar increases in popularity across the U.S. and continues to gain traction worldwide, people are asking if their home could even work for solar. What was once considered just a remote possibility and pipe dream has now been elevated to something that is a very real method for generating energy for homes everywhere. Of course, each home is different with unique roof angles, potential shading, geographic location, etc. While there are a few online resources that can assist in some initial solar evaluation, having an energy consultant meet with you at your home and/or virtually helps significantly. By having that meeting, you can get a clearer understanding of what could or could not work, and the design will be way more accurate as a result.
You can think about these initial questions, and at least it will get you started down the path of seeing if solar is even feasible.
How much roof space is typically sunny and unshaded in the middle of the day?
How old is your roof itself?
How much energy is consumed in your household? (Basically, where do you end up on the utility bill “comps” with other homes?)
Do you have power outages often? Or ever?
Do you intend to be in the home for a while?
As mentioned above, these questions can get you thinking about the possibility of solar. The important next step is to schedule a time to meet with a professional and work through details even further.
To learn a bit more about the ideal spot for solar, you can check out the other article within this knowledge center. You could also visit the following link to get an initial idea based on Google mapping capabilities visit Project Sunroof.
