Home solar technology is picking up steam, with more California homeowners than ever opting to install solar panels. While there’s plenty of information on installing solar energy systems in existing homes, the benefits and process of solar for newly built homes is a little less clear. Because California requires solar panels to be installed on all newly built residential homes, we’ll provide an overview of the information you need to build solar into your new home from the start.
Advantages of Solar in New Construction Homes
The ideal time to go solar with your home is right from the beginning — even before the construction phase starts. It’s much simpler to incorporate solar panels into the design plan than to wait until later and try to retrofit the home once it’s complete.
One overlooked aspect of solar in new construction is the positioning of obstructions like trees and chimneys. Adding solar to the design means you can position the system to avoid many if not all existing objects, and ensure that future objects placement does not interfere with optimal sun exposure.
Installation Options for Solar in New Construction Homes
When retrofitting an existing home, the best option is often to mount panels on your roof. With a new build home, you can choose less obvious installation, such as panels that are set right into the roof. Another option is to create a roof entirely made of PV solar panels. Although this is a more expensive option, it turns the entire top of your home into a solar-generating facility.
New construction is also a great way to incorporate elements of energy efficiency into the home naturally. For example, you can plan to upgrade to an electric water heater that will connect to your system, or plan for a solar battery pack that doesn’t cause you to lose out on garage space.
Many builders and installers have relatively standard packages to choose from, and solar specialists are more likely to work with you and your builder to offer custom solar solutions. If you’re using an installer along with your builder, they will need to work together on the planning and installation process.
An Appealing Option for New Homes
There are many decisions that go into building your new construction home, and going solar should be one of them. Not only do you start building ROI from the moment your system starts producing energy, but the investment will pay for itself in an average of five to 10 years. If you opt to add solar storage, you can even make money by selling your power back to the grid. And on top of it all, solar panels are more durable than ever and can retain the majority of their generation capacity for decades.
For more information on how to incorporate solar into a new build home, call Simply Solar at (707) 285-7037 to speak with one of our solar experts.
