Posted by thomas ferriere No Comments on 7 Solar Panel Installation Mistakes to Avoid with Commercial Roofs Construction

7 Solar Panel Installation Mistakes to Avoid with Commercial Roofs

Commercial businesses that purchase a solar energy system can qualify for a 30% investment tax credit. In addition, the cost of solar panels has been dropping for the past few decades but could rise at any moment. Now is an excellent time to install a commercial solar system on your building’s roof. 

However, you must approach this solar installation process with caution. There are a lot of solar panel installation mistakes owners can make. Some of them can be costly. 

Read on to learn more about seven solar panel installation mistakes. You’ll also learn how to avoid them. 

1. Focusing on Price Over Quality 

It’s important to set a solar system budget based on your available finances. However, you do not want to set the budget too low, no matter how tempting it is. If you don’t have enough funds, it’s better to delay getting a solar system until you can afford it. 

As with most things, quality costs money. If you pay too little for a solar system and its installation, your solar system won’t function as effectively. It can also break down sooner and force you into replacing solar panels every few years. 

Another downside is that your poor-quality commercial solar system may break down before you recoup all the costs in energy savings. This will especially be the case if it’s so poor quality that it produces solar energy at a slower rate. 

2. Forgetting About Your Roof 

Your roof needs to be able to support your solar panels. Their weight may be too much for older roofs. If you install solar panels on roofs that are too old or will be too old, you could run into problems. 

Solar technicians should perform an inspection to make sure your roof can handle solar panels. However, you probably don’t want to pay for them to come out only to be told your roof can’t handle panels. The best thing to do is to handle your roof yourself.

Consider your roof’s age and how long solar panels will last (a few decades). Is your roof too old to support your solar panels for their lifetimes? If so, you should consider getting a roof replacement before you get solar panels. 

3. Not Comparing Solar Panel Installers 

You may feel tempted to choose the first solar company that you can find. Doing so is a mistake. You’re likely to pick a company that offers lesser quality and more expensive service than another better company. 

You need to look at several options for solar panel installers. You can get some company names by talking to some of the other locals in town. Ask them who they’ve used and who they would recommend. 

Once you have a list, be sure to research all the details of each company. Look at their prices, licenses, credentials, etc. Then take all the possible companies and compare them with each other before making a final decision. 

4. Ignoring Warranty Details

A warranty is a promise that a product should perform as expected. If it doesn’t, the customer is entitled to get financial compensation or a replacement of the product. However, there are a lot of different kinds of warranties and you may not get the help that you need. 

One reason why it’s important to read the warranty details is that you can void the warranty. You can do something that can make you no longer entitled to warranty compensation. You need to read the warranty details and avoid these mistakes.

Another reason is to know what issues to look for. You don’t want to waste your time sending in a solar panel with an issue that isn’t covered by a warranty. 

5. Placing Panels in the Wrong Positions

You can set up solar panels anywhere and in any orientation that you want. However, you can install them in a less-optimal place and with a less-optimal orientation. Solar panels need to be in a particular place and facing a certain way to function most effectively. 

To further illustrate, solar panels need to be out of the shade and angled so that they face the sun exactly. Without this positioning, your building can’t fully take advantage of all the benefits of solar energy. Your solar system will generate solar power at a much slower rate. 

6. Getting a System That’s the Wrong Size

Do you want a commercial solar system that supplies all of the power your commercial building needs? If so, you need to design and build a solar system that’s the right size. If you don’t, your building will still need to partially rely on the grid for its power. 

Make sure to do the right calculations to get the amount of power that you want. This includes learning about how much power your building uses regularly. You should also learn about how much energy certain systems generate. 

7. Installing the Solar System Yourself 

There are plenty of instructional articles, videos, etc. that can teach business owners how to install solar systems by themselves. However, there are a lot of finer details that first-time installers can miss. If you do this, you can face the costly consequences of water damage, electrical hazards, and more. 

Your best bet is to hire professional solar technicians. They will have learned everything there is to know about solar panels. They will avoid all of the mistakes that you could make and give you a high-performance system. 

Avoid All of These Solar Panel Installation Mistakes By Hiring Us

A commercial solar system can last you a long time and save you tons of money. If you avoid common solar panel installation mistakes, you can double what your system gives you. 

When you need commercial roof solar panels, consider using our services. Along with our outstanding California commercial roof services, we also offer services for installing and replacing solar panels. Put in your information on this page and check the “yes” box to get started on getting a free commercial roof estimate.