Blog

How Long Does It Take To Install Solar Panels? An Overview Of The 8 Steps

By admin | September 8, 2022 |

More and more families and homeowners are investing in solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and reduce their monthly energy bills. The benefits of solar panel are numerous – but what’s involved in the installation process, and how long does it take?

If you’re joining the many homeowners investing in solar panels, you need to know what you’re signing up for. In this helpful guide, we will talk you through installing solar panels from start to finish, so you will know how long the process will take. Keep reading to learn more!

Why Install Solar Panels In Your Home?

Solar panels are a costly investment, and you’re required to allow contractors onto your property to install them – so why go to the trouble?

Well, there are many reasons why installing solar panels in your home is an excellent choice:

Solar panels reduce your monthly energy spend – you reach ROI quickly with solar panels, as you make savings monthly, gaining access to a more significant portion of your earnings.

Solar panels provide renewable energy – if you install solar panels in your home, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and you don’t have to feel guilty when you turn the AC or heating on.

You can sell excess energy back to the grid – did you know that you can store energy in a solar battery and sell your extra power back to the grid? You can profit from your solar panels’ energy if you don’t need it.

Those are just a few benefits of installing solar panels in your home. If you’ve decided to install solar panels in your home, you need to know what to expect during the installation process. Below is a list of the steps and processes of solar panel installation from start to finish.

What Happens When You Have Solar Panels Installed

Here are the steps involved in solar panel installation.

Step One – You Recieve A Quote From The Solar Panel Provider And Installer

Once you’ve decided to install your solar panels, you need to get a quote for both the cost of the solar panels and the cost of installation. Usually, you would purchase your solar panels and installation from the same place. Still, if you decide to source the panels and installation from separate providers, you will need a quote from each company.

You shouldn’t always opt for the first quote you receive. Instead, gather quotes from all the best solar panel installers in your area, then compare to gauge which is priced most competitively.

Although, price isn’t the only consideration. You should not opt for companies offering more inexpensive solar panels and installation than other companies, as this may indicate that they could replace parts with cheaper versions or cut corners regarding installation.

Step Two – Your Installer Will Perform An Inspection

To understand how to best fit solar panels for your home and to ensure your home is suitable for solar panels, you will need to have an inspection performed. The things the inspector will look for to determine solar installation potential include:

Branches and trees – your inspector will look for any tree structures or branches that could block the light for your solar panels, making solar panels unsuitable for your home.

Tall buildings – your solar installer will look for tall buildings that could block the light to your roof for significant portions of the day, meaning you wouldn’t get the best return on your investment.

Roof angle – your installer will need to know the roof’s pitch and which direction it is facing to understand how best to position the panels and maximise light exposure.

Roof condition – if your roof has dampness or any other structural damage, this could mean that installing solar panels would only lead to further issues.

If your installer has determined that your roof is suitable for solar panels, then they will be able to begin planning how they will fit your solar panels.

Step Three – Set Up Scaffolding

To begin installing your solar panels, the solar panel installation experts will set up scaffolding to ensure safety during the process. Setting up scaffolding is the most lengthy step in the installation process.

Step Four – Attach Roof Anchors

Roof anchors are anchor points that your solar installer will attach to the rafters in your loft by lifting your roofing tiles. Installing roof anchors will ground your solar panels and fix them on the roof.

Step Five – Install Solar Mounts

Solar mounts are the part of solar panels that attach the panels to the anchor and raise them above the roof’s surface. The solar mounts are essential to ensure your solar panels tilt at the optimal angle for light exposure.

Step Six – Install The Panels

Once the solar mounts are secured, your installer can fix the solar panels to the mounts at the correct angle.

Step Seven – Install The Solar Inverter

Without the solar inverter, your solar panels would not produce usable energy. The solar inverter is responsible for transforming Direct Current (DC) energy into Alternating Current (AC) energy, which you can use to power your household appliances.

The solar inverter is usually installed in your loft space and connected to the solar inverter using a wiring system. The installer will then connect your inverter to the consumer unit, allowing you to access solar power through the power outlets in your home. Our blog about solar inverters should explain why you need a solar inverter for your home.

Step Eight – Testing And Solar Battery Installation

Once the installation experts have fitted your inverter, they can test the solar system to see if everything is in working order. They will do this by monitoring each element in the solar system, switching the power off and on again to analyse its efficiency. If you have decided to invest in a solar battery, the installer will fit it once the system is in working order and test it accordingly.