20 Dec Installation of Solar Panels: Are they Right for Your Bay Area Home?

California is known for a few things: sun, sights, and the “stars.”  So why wouldn’t you be thinking about whether or not you can use our gorgeous sun to help you save money and the environment?

We’re talking about the installation of solar panels to help you beat the heat without costing you an arm and a leg. More and more people are getting solar panels installed in their homes and 2019 saw a massive increase in residential installations!

Rockridge Renewables is your local Bay Area company for solar installation in Concord and the surrounding Bay Area. We understand the benefits of transitioning from traditional energy sources to eco-friendly ones.

The installation of solar panels can help every homeowner. People who are environmentally conscious, budget-conscious, and/or business owners can all reap the energy rewards that our state gives out daily!  We love keeping our clients informed about the latest solar panels and how this great option can help them bring their home or business into the future.

Our professional team is here to explain how to transition into being self-sufficient and solar-powered!  How do you know if solar panels are the right fit for you? We’ve put together this helpful guide to give you all the info you need to know before you make your decision. And if you have any questions, remember to give us a call!

What you need to know before you decide on installation of solar panels for your home

How much energy do you use?

As you’re thinking about getting solar panels, it’s important to really understand what your electricity (kWh) usage is. Keep track of your electric bills and your habits. This can help you decide what type of panels and how many you will need to hold up the energy levels your home needs!

This information will help your solar panel installer, design the best PV system for your needs. You will also be able to see if changes need to be made to your habits to make your home more efficient!

Can your roof handle it?

This is a pretty straight-forward thing to consider. Sure, the Bay Area has all the sun you could possibly need to power your home but solar panels do typically go on your roof.

So can your roof handle solar panels?

Be sure to have your roof inspected for leaks and durability. Has it been 2 years since it’s last been replaced, or 20 years?  If you think that you’ll need to replace your roof or have some major repairs down within the next few years, it’d be best to tackle those fixes first.  Getting solar panels installed only to have them taken down for your roof to get fixed could cost you thousands of extra dollars.

Be sure that you can take care of the updates that need to happen to the structure of your home prior to getting solar powers installed.

Are you working to make your home more efficient already?

You should also be thinking about whether or not you’ll be making other changes to make your home more efficient. This one goes hand in hand with knowing your energy usage. You can take this time to give your house a good look over! Do you have energy-efficient windows? Are your appliances updated and energy-efficient?  Some cheaper upgrades can include swapping your lightbulbs out to help your energy usage and environmental footprint get just a little smaller.

Do you have a good installer?

One major point to consider is whether or not you have access to a good company that can install solar panels for you. Make sure the staff is knowledgeable and offers long term support for their products. You shouldn’t be left alone without a warranty or additional information about the care of your solar panels.

Consider the benefits

If you want to really weigh whether or not the installation of solar panels is worth it for your family, you’ll want to know the benefits you can expect.

Save from day 1

Solar panels are a great investment because they allow you to start saving from day 1.

Though they do come with a price tag, the cost of solar panels is dropping because prices for the technology have gone down over the years and more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits. You’ll have the investment of the installation, but then you’ll be able to cut the cost of your energy bills from your budget.  It turns out that the average payback time for the investment in solar panels is not very long, making this one smart investment.

Increase the value of your home

If all of this information hasn’t been enough to help you decide whether or not solar panels are the right choice for you, consider this: the installation of solar panels can help you increase the value of your home.  A typical solar panel system can add about 25k to your home’s value and this amount is only increasing as more and more sellers place value on upgrades like solar panels.

There are government incentives waiting for you

California is known as one of the first states in the US to put a huge value on being environmentally friendly and progressive. So it should be no surprise that California even offers incentives for solar power. If you want some extra perks, you can see if you qualify for all that California is offering through the CSI (California Solar Initiative)!

If you decide solar is for you, give Rockridge Renewables a call today.  We offer solar installation in the entire Bay Area including Concord, solar installation in Martinez, and solar installation in Pleasant Hill.