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Interested In Solar Panels? 3 Tip To Prepare For Them

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Many homeowners are deciding to add solar panels to their home to go green and save on electricity. South Miami has even made it mandatory that newly constructed homes have solar panels installed. Solar panels are no longer a fad, but a practical way to power your home.

However, getting solar panels is not as easy as it seems. Here are things you should do before you decide to have solar panels installed.

Get the Roof Inspected

You should start by getting the roof inspected to find out if it can handle the weight of the solar panels. The typical solar panel will weigh between 2 and 4 pounds per square foot, which can add a significant amount of weight to the roof. A roofing contractor will inspect your roof and let you know if you need braces for all that additional weight.

If your roof is almost ready to be replaced, a roofing contractor could recommend that you replace the roofing material before the solar panel installation. Your solar panels will more than likely outlast your roofing material, so it is best to get any major repair work done before the installation rather than after it.

Look Into Rebates

Every part of the country is going to have different incentives to install solar panels. For instance, Texas has some great rebates that could help you save even more money over the years. The city of Austin has rebates for each Watt of power generated by the solar panels, which ranges from $.50-.$.80 per Watt.

There are also federal tax credits that help reduce the cost of the installation. If you have your system installed and working by the end of 2019, you could receive a deduction that is worth 30% of the amount paid for the system.

Secure Financing

Solar panels do not need to be paid for in cash. They are an investment that can take anywhere between 3 and 15 years to payback. You may need to secure financing for your solar panels to cover the initial cost of installation, knowing you'll see a return on that investment as you pay the money back. Financing may extend how long it takes to break even on your solar panels, but it can reduce the initial burden of paying for the installation.

Work with a solar panel contractor like Sirius Power for more tips on how to be prepared for solar panels.


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