Solar Panels for Homes

When installing solar panels for homes, we find that many homeowners have questions about how they’ll be situated and how big they will be. A number of factors contribute to the design of your solar panel installation, including the space available, orientation of your home, and the pitch of your roof. We’ll explain why these factors are important, and how they help determine the design of your solar panel installation.

One of the most important factors when installing solar panels for homes is the orientation of the house. Your solar panels should face south in order to maximize the collection of the sun’s energy. If your roof doesn’t have southern exposure, or if there are obstructions to a southern exposure like trees or other homes, we may consider land mounted solar panels rather than roof mounted panels.

While facing south is an important factor, the angle of the panels is related. The pitch of your roof refers to how steep it is. When installing solar panels for homes, its ideal to install them at an inclination of 40 degrees plus or minus 15%, facing south. If your roof is steeper, solar panels may be land mounted in order to receive maximum sun exposure. If your roof isn’t quite as steep, solar panel mounts can be configured to achieve the proper sun exposure.

When sizing solar panels for homes, the construction of your roof and its effective areas are determining factors. The space available for ideal solar panel installation and the load ratings for your roof must be taken into account in order to safely and effectively install your solar panels. Roof mount solar panels have a size range from 3 to 10 kilowatts of installed capacity, while land mounted solar panels are usually  larger, up to 20 kilowatts. Your desired installed capacity will be taken into account to determine if your roof is ideal for installation, or if solar panels should be installed on land.

The experts at Smith Sustainable Design will develop an effective plan for your solar panel installation. We carefully evaluate your home and its surroundings to determine the best course of action to complete your solar power system. Call us today to schedule your site evaluation and begin designing your system.