When you start researching making the move to solar power, homeowners frequently wonder what goes into the solar system design process, as well as what it takes to produce the cost estimates. While the cost of the equipment can frequently be quickly estimated once some basic math has been done concerning the roof area and panel output, designing the system itself is often much more complicated. This complexity is why it’s crucial to work with local solar experts who will ensure your system is designed properly.
The First Step In Solar System Design
Before you even start thinking about picking out system components and having your solar partner begin your personalized solar system design, you want to be sure you’re making a wise investment. To that effect, your solar professional will want to examine your energy usage and cost over the last 12 months or so, because if you won’t be saving any money there will be little incentive to switch. In most cases, this can be done in a quick, 15-minute “discovery call”, that can help give you an idea of how solar power can change your energy costs.
Roof Area & Pitch Are Factored In
Every roof is going to be a little different, and those differences are what will make your system unique to your home. Not only will the total available area of the roof be taken into account, but the roof pitch angles will be examined as well, to help ensure the panels will be able to capture the ideal amount of sun. Most importantly the direction that your major roofing surfaces face will be checked since south-facing roofs will have the greatest potential for power generation, but for homes without significant southern exposure, east and west-facing roofs can be used to bridge the gap.
Barrett Solar Uses State-Of-The-Art Solar System Design
Using a special software called Aurora, your partners at Barrett Solar will be able to quickly build a solar system that will meet your needs. Using the data they gather during an in-person estimate related to your available roofing surface, exposure, and pitch, they will use this software to determine the optimal number of panels as well as where to mount them to gain the most power production and efficiency.
Shade Analysis Helps Estimate Total Sun Hours
The state-of-the-art Aurora software that Barrett Solar utilizes is also crucial in predicting the potential shading of the panels throughout the day, as well as through the progression of the seasons. This shade analysis is an essential part of creating the overall solar system design since even small amounts of shade can reduce the optimal power generation by noticeable amounts.
Solar professionals can not only create sunlight simulations using the real-world dimensions of things like nearby trees, but they can even take into account the shade from smaller objects and obstacles that may cast shadows on your panels, such as a chimney or roof vent. This extra bit of care ensures that you get all the panels and generation potential you’ll need, without additional cost you don’t.
Trust The Experts At Barrett To Easily Meet Your Solar Needs
Once all of the measurements and calculations are finished, and the final analyses complete, your solar system will be ready to enter the final stage of estimation. Being able to trust your solar professional to accurately and fairly create the estimate for your system can be the final deciding factor in choosing to proceed, and with Barrett Solar, you have a local expert with a history of well-performing installations. Contact us today for your free estimate on custom solar system design.
