Tips for Buying Solar Panel Kits

If you are considering saving money with a do-it-yourself installation of solar panels for your home, buying a kit is a great idea. But it's not quite the same as going down to your local building supply store and picking up a box of parts to assemble. It's not like picking out a bookcase at IKEA and putting it together in the living room. There's a lot of preliminary planning that you will need to do in order to purchase the right kit for your home.

If you have a lot of experience installing solar equipment, you'll be fine on your own. You probably will only need minimal manufacturer support to answer occasional questions about specific parts. You may need some answers to technical questions to confirm your buying decisions. But you'll probably be fine just finding a kit within your price range and buying it online. Your situation would be similar to a professional auto mechanic buying a kit car online. You know what you need, you know which parts are the best to use. You know how to make them all work together. You really are qualified to do it all on your own, with minimal help.

But if you have no experience installing solar panels, your best bet will be to find a kit supplier that offers a lot of technical support for both planning and for installation. You'll need to find a kit supplier that will be available not only by email, but by telephone. You might even want to find one that offers in-person support, if needed.

Your supplier should be able to help you figure out the proper size and configuration for your solar energy system, based on your household's current and projected energy needs. This preplanning step is crucial. You'll be wasting money if you buy a system larger than you need. And if you buy one that's too small for your energy needs, you'll end up either with no power when you need it, or still needing to buy power from the grid.

You'll also need expert help to analyze your house's energy needs according to its location and it's orientation toward the sun. Nearby trees and buildings can affect how efficient solar panels will be. Also, average outside temperatures throughout the year can affect what kind of panels you'll need.

Your supplier can also help you determine what kind of backup storage is the best fit for your family. Even if you plan to remain tied to the grid, you'll need at least some batteries to store power in case of blackouts. And there is a wide range of batteries to choose from. Some need more maintenance than others, some will last longer than others, and of course, some will cost a lot more than others. You'll need help to make the best choice.

You'll also need help determining which manufacturer delivers the best quality for the best price. As with most major purchases, cheaper isn't always better. But the most expensive isn't always the best, either. Solar panels come in a lot of different combinations of voltage and amperage. Again, you won't want to be caught short, or spend money for more than you need.

The time you take to research a competent kit supplier will pay off in the long run. Asking a lot of questions up front will save you time and money. Do some test runs of their email answering system, their phone consulting systems, and their in-person support if they have it. You'll make a complicated project much simpler and more enjoyable.