Why You Should Never Self-Install Solar Panels
KEY POINTS
- Self-installing solar panels poses significant personal safety risks due to the dangers of working at heights and the technical nature of the installation.
- Incorrect installation can lead to malfunctions, potential roof damage, electrical issues, or even fires, jeopardizing your home’s safety and functionality.
- Self-installation may seem cost-effective initially but can lead to higher long-term expenses due to inefficiencies, maintenance issues, and potential legal fines.
We all know one Do-It-Yourself family member who loves nothing more than trying to save money, getting up a ladder, and ends up spending more money fixing the problems they created!
Well, that’s one thing when you’re fixing a door in your home. But installing your own solar panels is taking it to the extreme. So, if you’re that family member who wants to self-install solar panels, read on to learn five reasons why this is a bad idea!
Contents
Personal Safety
It would help if you always put your and your family’s safety first. Solar panels need you to work on your roof or in the attic. Working at high heights can be dangerous. Heights often result in injury if done by someone without proper training.
Professionals have qualifications that allow them to work on a solar panel installation with the highest safety standards.
Working in the attic is a regular job for roofers and requires training to perform the task with safety. Suppose you don’t have the proper training to install the equipment. You could end up injuring yourself while working.
Higher Risk of Malfunction
Ever thought about what’s underneath the solar panels? If you’re in an older house, chances are your roof was not designed for the added weight of solar panels. The chances are that several parts of your roof need modification for this purpose. Modifications can cost thousands of dollars.
But remember, reliability issues are also electrical. For example, the solar panels will harness solar energy and heat the panels. Thus, the wiring could fail. It can also lead to a fire if there is no emergency generator on site.
Even if you’re lucky and there isn’t a fire. You can still destroy your entire home’s electricals. All it takes is using the wrong solar power outputs and equipment, and your wiring is kaput!
Long-Term Cost
It’s easy to think you’re saving money on labor costs, but there are many ways of looking at this. For example, are you spending more time installing panels than you could be earning money? Top earners may find they can profit from working during an installation!
Also, professional solar panel installation companies buy parts at trade prices, bringing the cost per unit down. In addition to that, there are high chances of increased maintenance costs in the long run or the running costs of a less efficient system, and suddenly, investment in solar panels becomes an unnecessary expense.
Time-Consuming
This point goes hand in hand with the costings above. Suppose you’re spending several days installing solar panels if you have a large home and lots of sunlight to harness.
In most cases, you need two people to install the solar panels for both health and safety and solar panels are large and cumbersome.
For most, that’s unnecessary stress and a burden that’s fixable by hiring professional solar panel installation services to take all the stress on for you.
Instead, why not spend that free time earning extra money either by working, decluttering your home, or, even better, spending quality time with your friends and family? After all, if you’re making a big investment like solar panels, you deserve to have a break from work.
Breaking the Law
Depending on where you live, there’s a high chance you’re breaking the law by installing solar panels yourself. Many states or areas require a licensed electrician to install solar panels or install them per local by-laws.
Not only that, but you could be breaching planning permission guidelines. The easiest way to avoid this is to have a professional installation. If you install them yourself, expect an inspector to knock on your door.
Hire a Professional – Don’t Self-Install Solar Panels!
The chances are that the pros outweigh the cons when paying someone to fit solar panels for you. The added cost is a small price to pay when you’re looking at saving money in the long run.
So, we advise you not to self-install solar panels. Work with solar installers pa, Ethical Energy Solar.
It’s one thing saving the environment, but saving your life is another! Please keep browsing our articles for more expert advice on choosing solar panels!
