Calculating Number of Solar Panels Needed for a Home, Part 2

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on determining how many solar panels your home requires for a new installation. Residential solar needs are determined by calculating your home’s typical energy usage plus available sunlight hours, then matching these up with the capacity of our solar panels to ensure your needs are covered in cost-effective ways.

At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we’re happy to provide detailed information and assistance with this and other important calculations during any phase of our solar installations in Utah or surrounding states – which feature a comprehensive consultation and design process to help us get you on the right page with these details. Here are some of the other variables that play a role in choosing your precise number of panels for your solar installation, plus a final word on why working with a professional team like ours is so valuable here.

Space Considerations

In part one, we finished off with a full grasp of your home’s energy needs, the available sunlight, and how our panels match up with these numbers. One additional factor involves designing the entire panel system to maximize sunlight while also considering basic roof space, aesthetic appeal and related factors.

As homeowners are well aware, there are many different kinds of roofs out there. We have to consider the angle of the roof, plus its overall size, to decide exactly where and how to place your solar panels – and these considerations may impact exactly how many panels we choose. If your roof allows it, we will prioritize larger, cost-effective panels to get you up to your energy needs; if not, however, we may have to source a few different smaller panel areas to meet the requirements. Luckily, we have highly efficient solutions for our clients in any roofing situation.

Optimal Efficiency

Getting a bit more technical, solar panel efficiency is determined by the type of cell technology they use. Certain types absorb more sunlight and have greater efficiency, but there are other factors at play that may limit your use of these – your budget, your roof’s qualities or others. This is an area our team will be happy to assist you with if you have questions.

Pros and ROI

Both for return on investment and related reasons, it truly pays to work with quality solar professionals like ours during this process. Think about all the technical areas we’ve gone over here and the impact they can have on the efficiency and value of your system – do you have expertise about roofing angles and how they’ll impact your panels’ sunlight acquisition? Are you an expert on the different kinds of solar panel cell technologies used and which is best for your needs? Probably not, but our technicians are, and their expertise will save you thousands in wasted costs and help you achieve strong ROI along with great energy production.

For more on how to calculate panel needs and other basic solar power installation basics, speak to the staff at Intermountain Wind & Solar today.