A solar panel system for your home can be an excellent long-term investment if you make a good decision on the solar energy equipment you choose. There are some key considerations besides price that you need to factor into your selection to get the best value in your purchase. Take the time to evaluate the solar panel options and determine the best roof solar panels for your needs in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
How to Determine Which Solar Panels Are Best for You
To help you make the most of your solar energy system investment for your home, here are the things you need to evaluate when shopping for a residential solar panel system:
Solar Panel Prices
Controlling your solar panel cost is important, of course. On the other hand, solar energy systems are a significant investment, so it’s also important to ensure you’re getting a good quality system that is durable and will produce well over the long term. The price of solar panels is determined by a combination of several variables, including the:
- Physical size of the panels
- Number of watts the panels generate
- Quality of the panel materials
- Warranty period (i.e., the durability)
- Manufacturer brand
- Certifications for the solar panels
So, the cheapest-priced panel will not necessarily be the lowest cost in the long run. The most efficient panel available for a reasonable price is more likely to be your best option. Better quality panels from the best solar panel brand names have a significantly longer lifespan, in some cases over 30 years.
Physical Size and Power Ratings
The number of watts the panel will generate is the measure of its output of electricity to power your home. For example, a 200-watt panel generates 200 watts per hour under normal conditions. The number of watts the panels produce is directly factored into the price of the solar panel system. Of course, more watts means a physically bigger panel system and a higher-producing type of solar cells built into the panels. The average home requires around a 4kW solar panel system. You’ll need a system big enough to supply the power you’ll use but also fit the available space for installing solar panels on your property.
Types of Solar Cells
There are a couple of types of the most commonly used types of solar panels. They offer different rates of solar efficiency. Even though these names are a little long, it’s worth it to introduce yourself to these two names of the common solar panel types and the basic difference between them. That way, you’ll understand your options better and can communicate meaningfully with your solar supplier:
- Polycrystalline: (Also called multi-crystalline). These solar panels consist of many silicon crystal fragments heated to fuse them into a solar cell. The performance of this panel technology is about 16%, which is significantly lower than the monocrystalline model, but it's less expensive.
- Monocrystalline: These solar panels are made of a single silicon crystal per solar cell. That allows electrons to move around more freely in the cell, performing at 20-24% efficiency in generating electrical energy, which is much higher than polycrystalline panels. They also have a high heat tolerance, perform better in shade, and have a small footprint, but they cost more.
Solar Panel Quality
The best solar panel manufacturers invest a lot in research and development (R&D) to improve the efficiency of their solar product offerings. Makers of lower-quality panels don’t put resources into R&D. Some may only assemble and not actually manufacture the solar cells they sell in their panels. They don’t have the sophisticated robotics to execute the panel production, but they make the lowest-priced panels. Do a little research, checking online customer reviews, Better Business Bureau reports, etc., to see if customers have been satisfied with the panels and service.
Efficiency Rate
The solar efficiency rate measures the amount of sunlight the panel receives that is converted into electrical energy. That is the amount of electrical power your panels will produce to run your home. Higher efficiency means higher performance and a higher purchase price. However, it may not necessarily be the right choice for you to buy the biggest, most efficient, most expensive solar panel system if you don’t need it. You shouldn’t spend more than necessary to supply the amount of home energy you need. For ideal cost effectiveness, don’t overpay or underpay for panel systems to produce the amount of power you need for your home.
Temperature Coefficient
This is the measure of the amount of impact of heat on solar panel efficiency in producing electrical energy. Solar panels functioning in very hot environments do not perform as well as equivalent panels operating in much colder temperatures. Plus, long-term exposure to extreme heat causes panels to age faster than those being preserved in cooler environmental conditions. This is a point to keep in mind when choosing the quality of solar panels if you need them to withstand extremely hot climate conditions in your region over time.
Panel Durability (Warranty Term)
Solar panels usually have a 25-year warranty. Some of the best manufacturers offer up to 30-year warranties. If the solar panels you are considering are made by a company that does not offer a long warranty period, you should be concerned that the manufacturer does not believe their solar panels can be expected to work very well for very long, so they don’t want to risk responsibility for inevitable issues. Avoid being tempted by prices that are so cheap that the quality is likely to be so poor you will end up with a serious loss on your investment.
Find the Right Solar Panel System for Your Home
Before investing in your home solar panels, compare the criteria listed above for solar panel systems that you want to consider. See which supplier offers the best overall value. Request several detailed quotes free of charge. Then, when you are contacted by the suppliers who have provided bids, you can take those opportunities to clarify and gather more information as needed and then choose the offer that you find to be the best for your needs.
Best Solar Panels and Installation, Colorado Springs, CO
Solarise offers the industry’s highest quality solar equipment and installation workmanship and a 30-year solar panel warranty. Ask about our $0 down payment and low-interest financing.