Did you know that the total number of American homes with solar panels is expected to triple over the next decade? Solar panel installation costs have gone down a lot in recent years, and it has led to a spike in solar panel installation projects.
So, how much is it to install solar panels? Well, that can be a little bit of a difficult question to answer since it changes on a case-by-case basis. No two homeowners are going to pay the exact same price for solar panels.
To find out what solar panel installation will run you, you’ll need to consider a handful of different factors. These factors will play a large part in how much you’ll have to pay for solar panels in the end.
We’ve put together a solar panels guide that includes all the various factors that will come into play when it comes to solar panel installation costs. Check out these factors below and use them to calculate what solar panels will cost you.
The Solar Panel Company You Hire
One of the main reasons why solar panels have become so much more affordable over the years is because of all the solar panel companies that have popped up. There are more than 13,000 of them throughout the U.S. at this time.
Because of this, all of the different solar panel companies are trying to compete with one another right now. And many of them are attempting to stand out in the crowd by keeping their costs as low as they can get them.
You should take full advantage of this when you’re in the market for solar panels. It would be well worth calling around to at least half a dozen solar companies to ask, “How much is it to install solar panels through you?”
You’re likely going to find that each individual company will extend a slightly different quote to you. You might be able to save yourself some money by going with one company versus another one.
The Type of Solar Panels You Buy
When you go to purchase solar panels for your home, there is going to be more than just one type available to you. There are actually three main types of solar panels that you can stick on your home’s roof.
You’ll be able to pick from:
- Monocrystalline solar panels
- Polycrystalline solar panels
- Thin-film—or amorphous—solar panels
Each of these types of solar panels is going to bring something slightly different to the table. They’re also often going to come at different price points.
You should make it your mission to learn as much as you can about these types of solar panels. It’ll put you in a much better position to pick out the one that you like best for your home. It’ll also give you a better idea of what solar panels will cost you in the end.
The Hardware Used to Mount Your Preferred Solar Panels
Another reason why solar panels have decreased in price recently is because the hardware that is used to mount them has become more affordable. This hardware once accounted for a large percentage of the total cost of solar panels. But these days, hardware is a minimal cost at most.
That being said, there are lots of different kinds of hardware that you can use to mount solar panels on your home’s roof. You’ll need to select the right hardware based on everything from the type of roof you have to your budget.
Your solar panel company should be able to help you choose the most effective type of hardware for your home. They should also be able to supply it to you at a price point that you can afford.
The Number of Solar Panels You Need
There are some people who will stick two or three solar panels on a small portion of their home’s roof. There are others who will fill up almost their entire roof with solar panels. Either way, the number of solar panels that they buy affects the price that they pay.
If you have a home that’s on the smaller side that doesn’t use much electricity every month, you might be able to get away with only installing a few solar panels. They’ll be more than enough to power up your home without breaking the bank.
But if you have a home that’s on the larger side that uses its fair share of electricity each month, it’ll be a much different story. You’ll have to dip deep into your bank account in most cases to pay for solar panels.
Your solar panel company will, once again, be able to guide you in the right direction when it’s time to figure out how many solar panels you need. It’s why you should work with Blue Raven Solar to ensure you’re able to get a great deal on solar panels for your home.
The Kind of Roof You Have (and Its Age!)
Do you have an asphalt shingle roof, a tile roof, or even a metal roof? If you do, then you’re going to be in great shape when you go to get solar panels installed.
Each of these types of roofs is very compatible with solar panels. A solar panel company shouldn’t face too many issues at all when installing solar panels on these kinds of roofs.
Other types of roofs? Not so much! If you happen to have something like a wood shake roof, it’s going to take more work on the part of a solar panel company to put them into place. This will increase your solar panel installation costs.
The age of your roof is also going to play a part in what solar panel installation will cost you. If you have an older roof, you might want to think about replacing it before having solar panels installed.
Replacing your roof might cost you a pretty penny. But some solar companies will help foot the bill for roof replacement. It would be worth exploring this option before shelling out a bunch of money to replace your roof.
The Angle of Your Roof
In order to install solar panels on your roof, a solar panel company will obviously have to spend at least a few hours climbing around on your roof. So believe it or not, something as simple as the angle of your roof could factor into how much solar panels will cost.
If you have a roof that has a regular angle to it, you should be able to keep your solar panel costs on the lower end of the spectrum. But if you have one with a very steep angle, that’s when you might see your solar panel installation costs begin to soar.
A solar panel company is going to be taking an increased risk when they have to climb around on a steep roof. It’s why you shouldn’t be shocked if they try to charge you more than usual for solar panel installation.
The Structure of Your Home
Solar panels usually weigh somewhere in the 40-pound range. And while that might not seem like much, it can really add up if you’re going to be having dozens of solar panels installed on your roof.
In this case, the structure of your home as a whole might not be strong enough to support the weight of solar panels and the hardware used to mount them. You will need to have your home reinforced to ensure that it can stand up to the added weight being put on your roof.
You can still have solar panels installed in most cases even if your home’s structure isn’t as sound as it should be. But it’ll often come at an added cost since a solar panel company will need to do some work on your home to prepare it for the weight of solar panels.
The Condition of Your Electrical System
Have you upgraded your electrical system sometime in the past 10 years or so? If you have, then you should be able to hook a solar system up to it with ease.
But if you have a really outdated electrical system in your home, that’s when problems can occur. You might need to have your entire electrical system updated in order for your solar panel system to connect to it.
Or at the very least, you might need to arrange to have a new electrical panel put into place in your home. Otherwise, you could potentially run into a whole host of problems down the line with your home’s electrical system.
The Tax Credits You Qualify For
The federal government has tried to do everything in its power to convince people to install solar panels on their roofs over the years. One of the main things that they’ve done to provide people with motivation is offer them federal tax credits for installing solar panels.
Before you even think about installing solar panels on your home’s roof, you should look into the tax credits that you might be able to qualify for. You should also try to calculate how much money they might be able to save you on your taxes.
If you’re able to save a significant amount of money on your taxes, you might not be worried about the answer to the question, “How much is it to install solar panels?” Your tax savings will make installing solar panels well worth it.
The Coupons You May Be Able to Find
As we’ve alluded to a few times now, there is no shortage of solar panel companies out there in the world today. The solar industry has blossomed into a big business, and it’s led to a spike in the total number of solar companies.
These companies are constantly trying to one-up one another by offering better and better deals to those interested in solar panel installation. They almost always have coupons that people can use to save X amount of dollars on a solar panel installation project.
You shouldn’t be shy about trying to track down as many coupons for solar panels as you can. You can then compare the different deals that solar panel companies can extend to customers.
If you fail to use a coupon for a solar panel installation, you could literally be leaving money on the table. You’ll kick yourself later on for not working harder to try and get a better deal on solar panels.
More often than not, you’ll be able to find coupons for solar panels right on companies’ websites. Some companies will also send these coupons out in the mail or email them to those that they’re trying to target.
You should put coupons to good use and see how much money they can help you save.
Stop Asking, “How Much Is It to Install Solar Panels?”, and See for Yourself
It’s difficult to nail down a definitive answer to the question, “How much is it to install solar panels?” As you’ve seen here, it all depends on a bunch of different factors.
You can inch your way closer to figuring out what solar panels are going to cost you by reaching out to solar panel companies in your area. They’ll be able to shed more light on what solar panels are going to run you for your specific home.
Would you like to read some more informative articles about solar panels and solar panel installation? Go see what else our blog has to offer.
