With all of the subsidies available to homeowners in many states so install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their homes, you may be considering such a move yourself. Installing a solar system is not only a great move for the environment, it’s also a great way to fix your energy costs and also can actually increase the value of your home. Whether your are considering installing a system on your current home or are shopping for a new one and are considering putting up a system after you move in, there are several factors that you consider up front.

First, you will most likely install the system on your roof. Ground mounted systems have some advantages, but generally take up too much room in the typical yard and so we won’t discuss them here. How is your roof oriented? Does it have good, unobstructed southern and western exposures? Are there trees or power lines nearby that cast shadows on the roof from 9 AM to 3 PM? Shade, even a small amount, can substantially reduce the output of your system. If you can’t eliminate such shading problems (trees in a neighbor’s yard or power lines in an easement), you may need to ground mount or reduce the size of your system.

If the roof of your home is getting close to the end of its life, you should replace it prior to installing a PV system. A large part of a PV system’s cost is the installation, so you don’t want to have to take it back down after a few years to install a new roof and then reinstall the system. If you know this is going to be a problem, address this first. You may want to use light colored shingles to reduce the surface temperature of the roof. Solar panels’ efficiency decreases with increasing temperature, so reducing the heat on your roof top could help you squeeze more watts out of your system, saving you money. The cooler roof will also reduce the load on your home’s cooling system, and that translates into energy savings.

Finally, if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, you may run into some obstacles. In many states, particularly those that have seen many PV installations, laws have been passed which prevent HOAs from interfering with your solar plans. California has robust laws on the books that deal with these issues. However, if you live in a state that doesn’t have these sorts of protections, be sure to get clarification with HOA about what their rules and regulations are. You may still be able to proceed with your project, but may have to make alterations for it to conform to the rules.

Installing a PV system is a great way to insulate yourself from rising energy prices. Once your system is paid for, you are getting free energy from it and will for decades. While solar installations generally run smoothly and without much headache, knowing the pros and cons of your particular situation ahead of time can prevent surprises and disappointments from happening further into the process. In addition to the issues mentioned above, make sure that you thoroughly research a number of different installers. They are definitely not all the same and choosing the right installer can be the difference between a trouble free installation and one fraught with headaches and hassle.

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