5 Common Mistakes You Might Make When Updating Your Home

1. Not Doing Your Research

There's a great deal of hype and misinformation out there surrounding updating your home, specifically regarding solar panels. Before you buy solar panels, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the technical details of how solar energy really works. The idea that a house must face a certain direction in order to catch enough sunlight is a particularly pernicious myth. Certainly there are optimums, but those will vary with climate and geography. Another important part of planning an energy source change is to look at your own energy needs at different times of the year as well as your requirements specifically during peak use times so that you know how extensive your system will have to be. The average U.S. annual household energy consumption is over 10,000 kilowatt-hours. It pays to examine all of the numbers.

2. Not Getting Multiple Quotes

Probably the worst mistake you could make in shopping for solar panels is not getting a second opinion. This market is a new frontier, and you're going to find that costs for systems with the same capabilities can vary considerably. Remember too that it's not just panels that you need to install; you'll also need an energy storage system, and these can vary in cost and capacity. Make sure that the companies you're considering purchasing from are willing to break the costs down for you. A good solar company takes steps to empower the customer in making the right decision for themselves.

3. Ignoring Rebates and Incentives

Another thing that many people forget is that the U.S. government wants people to convert to solar energy. The federal government provides a solar tax credit called the Investment Tax Credit that allows homeowners to deduct a portion of their installation costs from their taxes. The ITC isn't set to end until 2022, so there's still plenty of time to take advantage of this offer. There are also many local incentives which vary by state and municipality, so learn the policies in your area as well as their potential expiration dates in order to make a timely decision.

4. Installing Solar Panels Yourself

A lot of people considering making changes to their homes are the do-it-yourself kind of folks. This isn't the always the best idea when it comes to solar panel installation. One issue is that solar panels are rather large, and neighborhood ordinances governing home improvement will vary in regards to the the size of modifications that are allowable. Also find out if your roof requires additional support to accommodate the weight of solar panels. There's no shame in getting professional advice before going ahead with a project like this.

5. Having Unrealistic Expectations

Solar power is a great choice for energy generation, but it's not a silver bullet for our energy problems. One issue that crops up is when consumers vastly underestimate the amount of energy needed to power all of their devices at once. The fact that sunlight is variable in most parts of the country will only exacerbate that miscalculation. You may need to modify your lifestyle to sync with changes in power availability when using solar. It might indeed take a few years before the cost savings from switching to solar become apparent, so think long-term about any new energy choices.

It's wonderful that we live in an era where solar power is finally a robust source of renewable energy. It's ultimately up to the individual consumer to know if this particular power solution is right for them, but if used wisely, it has the potential to change both our world and our wallets for the better.