How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?

Thanks to decades of advancement in solar energy technology, today’s solar panels are more efficient and more affordable than ever. Solar panel installation costs have dropped dramatically since they first became available, but they still remain misunderstood. Without fail, the biggest question for homeowners is “how many solar panels do I need?”

Unfortunately, while the question is simple, the answer is actually somewhat complex. There are a few factors that go into how many solar panels you need, and these factors will vary depending on your unique situation and independent needs for solar energy usage.

The good news is that we’re here to help you get the answer you need so you can get started with enjoying San Francisco solar energy today. Take a look at this guide from our friendly team at Mr. Roofing to answer this important question and start planning your solar panel installation today.

Factors that Affect Your Number of Panels Needed

To understand how many solar panels you’ll need installed for your home, the best thing to do is to call a professional solar energy expert for a consultation. A reliable roofing company like Mr. Roofing will offer free, no-obligation pricing estimates in your home to help guide you through the process of going solar.

In any case, you might want to try and determine the cost of your installation by estimating how many solar panels you need. Here are some of the categories you’ll need to consider when evaluating the potential panel usage you’ll require for your home:

• Analyze Your Bill: This is an important step in understanding how to answer your question. The reason why is that your bills inform you of your solar energy production goals. What you want to do is take a look at how much energy you use in the summer and how much in the winter. After you have those numbers, compare them to what you used to pay five to ten years ago, if you’ve lived in the same home for that long. This will help you determine how much costs have risen for energy usage. On average, solar panels last for about 20 years. Having the correct number of panels will help you meet your energy needs while saving you on inflation costs.

• Actual Usage: This is perhaps the most important factor to consider. To know how many panels you need, you need to understand how many kilowatt-hours you’re actually using. The more energy you need to use the more panels you will need. Solar panels only process so much energy per panel, so take the time to look at your current usage and start calculating how this amount may rise in the future. For example, having another child or opening a home office will increase how much energy usage you need to run your home, so consider your possible life changes when making your decision.

• Watch the Seasons: Areas of the country that see all four seasons and produce significantly less daylight in December than in July will have an effect on how many panels you need. The key to this category is to identify how many panels you need so that you don’t generate excess energy in the summer or have too little energy in the winter.

• Consider the Direct Sunlight: Similar to the previous category, but wholly different is the actual sunlight you can expect. For example, residents in Seattle do not see the sun as much as residents in Arizona. If you have fewer days of actual sunlight, then you will need more panels to make up the difference.

The important thing to remember is that these categories provide a baseline to start from. The best way to ensure you have the right amount of panels for your needs is to work with a qualified and trained contractor that can take your base information and professionally calculate exactly how many panels you need. The contractor will be able to assess your home as well as perform a professional installation.

Get Solar Energy with Mr. Roofing

Whether you want to go green or just save money on your energy bill, you will find doing so easy with the professionals at Mr. Roofing. We have been assisting customers with all of their roofing needs since 1989. We pride ourselves on a superior experience for our customers by being there for them from the initial consultation to the solar panel installation.

Some of the benefits our customers receive with our solar panels include:

• Energy Savings
• Cost Savings
• Environmental Responsibility
• Increased Property Value

Ready to take advantage of San Francisco solar energy for your home? Give our experts a call at Mr. Roofing to hear more about our solar energy panel installations. You can also get started with a free, no-obligation pricing estimate in your home by filling out our online form.