Since it is clean, renewable, safe and cost-effective, the number of people opting for solar energy across the globe is unprecedented. And although solar power is slowly gaining popularity, there are very few people that have installed and owned solar power systems through their full lifecycle.

In order to avoid pitfalls that could come in the process, there are a number of things you need to ask yourself. These include:

1. Can Your Roof Support Solar Panels?

If your roof is under a shade for the better part of the day all-year-round, then investing in a solar system may not be a worthwhile investment. The roof should also be in good shape to handle the solar panel installation. This is something you would need to assess before going ahead with your plans. If you have realized that your roof is not suitable for a solar system installation because you reside in a multi-unit building or a rental apartment, then you should consider investing in the shared or community solar.

2. Have You Done Everything in Your Capacity to Improve Efficiency?

The fact is; the amount of energy you need produced by your solar power system will purely depend on the amount of energy you use. It is therefore advisable to trim your power usage as much as possible before you think of investing in those solar panels. It is therefore important to do an extensive energy audit and search for efficiency upgrades before drawing up blueprints. Its always a good idea to get solar panels for your home.

3. What Kind of Solar Technology Do You Need?

There are basically two main solar technologies that you could pick from. These include the photovoltaic solar technology which makes use of an array of cells to convert sunlight into electricity, while the second one is the thermal solar technology which uses sunlight to effectively heat water or air. If you have realized that you are using up huge amounts of energy for heating or fuel is simply expensive at your place of residence, then the solar thermal investment would be the best.

4. Do You Have a Trustworthy Installer?

When you are planning to install a solar power system in your home or business premise, you need to find the most qualified and experienced expert to handle the work. In any case, you do not need someone without experience and/or qualifications in their name to handle such a critical home improvement project that involves electrical work. The installers you choose should be certified, licensed, insured and readily available. These will handle everything professionally and in case there is an electrical fault they can easily diagnose and fix the problem with a lot of ease.

Other things that you would need to consider before going ahead with the installation include; whether you would like to lease or buy your own system, the details of the contract as well as the way the system would be connected to the grid. Putting all these factors into consideration before you start the installation will enable you to have successful project implementation that will culminate into the meeting of all your energy needs.