To buy a solar system in Perth, you should be thorough in your research and analysis beforehand. Nowadays, solar systems are one of the smartest investments to make for your home, saving you money now and in the future. Most homeowners have made poor choices to save money.
Installing solar panels on your roof can increase savings, but the process to find the best quality solar system is challenging. By avoiding the top 9 mistakes when buying solar, you will be able to buy solar system in Perth.
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Waiting for price drop
The price to install a solar system has dropped drastically over the last 5 years. So, do not wait for the solar system cost to go further down, as the answer is most likely “NO”.
The price of installation and solar components have reached a record low compared to 2010. The ‘hard costs’ and ‘soft costs’ make up the overall cost of your solar system. Hard costs refer to things like panels and solar inverters and are more likely to decrease. Whereas, soft costs are permitting and financing, which can increase. If you wait for costs to decrease, you may miss out on the government tax incentives available for switching to solar. Plus, the savings on your energy bill will be immediate.
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Not knowing the size of the solar panel
Want to figure out the right-sized solar system for your home? It depends on various factors and not is limited to physical size of solar panels you would need. The ‘solar system size’ is described as a solar panel system’s capacity to produce electricity. For example, 300 watts of electricity is produced with a solar panel system sized 300 watts, and so on under standard conditions.
The 3 efficient ways to calculate solar system size includes –
- PVWatts – Based on location and building characteristics, PVWatts provides a precise breakdown of system output down to the hour.
- SolarReviews Calculator – The calculator recommends system size for your roof and allows you to see live prices of solar installers in your area
- Quote from an installer – Get quotes from various installers
Some of the other factors that determine the right solar system size are –
- Usage
- Solar insolation and weather
- Roof characteristics
- System losses
- Battery storage
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Understanding Warranty
Solar system warranty includes performance warranty, product warranty, and solar equipment warranty.
- Many solar brands back their product with a linear performance warranty of 25 to 30 years and guarantee performance between 79-87%. However, a linear performance warranty does not guarantee a specific amount of solar production for your system.
- In product warranty, protection is provided for materials or workmanship issues. But, doesn’t cover the cost of labor to diagnose, replace the equipment, or the shipping costs.
- Each solar system uses multiple components to operate efficiently and they all have separate warranties from manufacturer.
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Being unaware of Australian consumer protections and laws
As a consumer, you need to be aware of these protections and laws. Many service providers insist on opting for servicing your system once in a year or so. Never fall for the tricks. Solar system warranty will remain as long as you follow the manufacturer and installer instructions. To buy solar system in Perth, four types of warranties are provided by the manufacturer. They are –
- Workmanship
- Panel warranties
- Inverter warranties
- Performance
Try to have an inverter with a 10-year warranty and at least 10 years for the solar panels, which will be long enough to increase savings.
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Being unaware of how rebate system works and how to calculate payback from solar
If you’ve purchased a solar panel system, you are eligible to receive the government solar rebate rate of up to 50%. To make things confusing, the current “Rebate” for anyone buying a solar system of up to 100kW is called the STC (Small-scale Technology Certificate) program. The government says that this “STC program” is not a “solar rebate from their website.
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Over-Prioritising Price and Sacrificing Quality
Know that high-quality panels yield higher ROI. Think of solar system as an investment to improve your home and be prepared to pay for it. It is true that many solar systems installed on homes for less than five years have already failed and not producing enough energy. Unfortunately, faulty products aren’t covered by a warranty. To buy solar system in Perth, ensure to read reviews, understand warranty terms and seek reputable brands only.
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Thinking the geography is not suitable for solar
To maximize the use of solar electricity, panel directions and households various orientations will have the greatest impact. The best panel direction to maximize the amount of electricity are –
- North Orientation: North facing panels will produce the most electricity overall.
- West Orientation: West facing panels produce around 15% less electricity than north-facing solar panels.
- North-West Orientation: This orientation will produce around 5% less electricity than north-facing panels.
- East Orientation: This orientation will produce around 15% less electricity than north-facing ones, but they will produce more electricity in the morning and less in the afternoon.
- North-east Orientation: This orientation will produce around 5% less electricity than north-facing solar panels, but their production is throughout the day.
- East And West Orientation: This arrangement is often called an east/west split and produces more constant output of electricity during the day
- South Orientation: Panels facing south direction will typically produce around 28% less energy than north facing panels
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Waiting for new technology
Many early adopters of solar are reaping huge benefits. While waiting for new technology is like waiting forever. Present-day solar systems use advanced technology to leverage the sun’s energy and designed to deliver energy efficiency and cost savings.
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Avoiding due to finances
Do not avoid installing a solar system due to cost. Ask your installers for information on financing and lending options. At this moment, green loans have very low-interest rates and a fast approval process to help you save.
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