There are many ways that you can go about when it comes to powering your home with solar energy. You need to speak with a solar company about which method is best for your home and the specifications of the solar panel system that is required.
The first thing to do when considering solar Melbourne is to understand your home energy use and therefore investigate how you can increase efficiency. If you are not sure how to calculate your total electricity usage, the solar company will be able to guide you through it. You have to consider the specifications of the electrical appliances and equipment you use at the moment and whether they need to be upgraded to more energy efficient options. You have to consider your lighting as well. You can use LED light bulbs that are more energy efficient. By carrying out a home energy audit, you will be able to understand how your home is wasting electrical energy and areas where you can improve. We spend a lot of money when it comes to heating and cooling the home so you need to check how this can be reduced by improving the insulation of your external building envelope and types of smart options to reduce the usage.
The solar energy resources in different locations can vary. This is because the amount of solar energy reaching different locations changes and this can have an impact on the size of the system. The solar company will visit the home before they provide a quotation to assess the potential solar energy that your location at produce. Some of the factors that will affect this assessment are the shade provided by surrounding trees, the condition of your roof and whether it requires replacement. If there are a lot of repairs to be done on the roof, it is best to carry this out or replace the roof before the solar panel system is mounted on it.
Before you contact a solar company, there is some information that you need to collect to help them assess your solar electricity needs. You can get an idea of the annual electricity requirement of your home by going over the electricity bills you have received for the year. Check how the electricity usage changes for each month; there can be increased usage in hotter months due to the use of air conditioners. If you are planning to purchase additional electrical equipment or an electrical vehicle, you need to plan this as well. Or if you have plans to increase the energy efficiency of your home, the usage may be less. It is best to get quotations from several solar installers. But make sure they visit the site in order to give a proper site assessment. You can get recommendations from friends, family members or neighbours who have gone solar. Check the online reviews for the solar companies as well to get an idea of their service. Ask whether the company is familiar with the process of obtaining local permits and whether they can give references of customers in the same area. Check licensing and certification of the company as well.
