If you’re wondering if you can power your whole home on solar energy alone, the short answer is yes. You can undoubtedly power your home with solar power, but it’s essential to understand that there are certain things to think about before you make the switch. To help you understand the process and what goes into determining whether your home is capable of self-sustained power, our team at Solar-verse has put together a few questions to think about before switching to Maryland solar energy.

How much sunlight does your home get?

There are various factors to consider when it comes to determining the amount of sunlight your home gets each day. First of all, look at the direction your house faces. It’s most common to install solar panels on the south side of the house as the sun will be shining from this direction much of the year. If the side of your home you'd like to install your panels faces north, you could be reducing daily sun exposure significantly.

In addition to the side of your house, you’ll install your panels, look around your house to see if any tall objects might cast a premature shadow over your home. For instance, if there’s a greenbelt immediately to your west, you could be cut short on sunlight as the sun dips behind the trees each day. The same could be said for one-story homes to the east of a two-story house. Those who live in wide-open spaces without obstructions find that their home gets much more sun exposure than those who don’t. We can do a free evaluation of the amount of sunlight your home gets each day and identify the best placement for your solar panels.

How much electricity do you use each day?

You probably don’t track your electricity use each day, but you can get an idea by taking a look at your electric bill when it comes each month. Some math will make it easy to compare how much electricity your home uses each day, which is vital information when finding out if you can power your home on solar energy alone. Our team can perform a free assessment for your daily electricity use to weigh it against how much your solar panels will produce.

How many solar panels do you need?

It’s going to take some more math to figure out how many solar panels you need to be installed if you want to power your entire home. The average solar panel produces about 290 watts of electricity every hour. If you have an ideal arrangement and your panels are exposed to eight hours of sunlight each day, then you’ll get 2,320 watts, or 2.3 kilowatt-hours, produced from each panel every day. Weigh that number against your total energy consumption each year to determine how many you need to be installed. Talk to an installation technician to find out if that number is realistic for your home.

How many solar panels can your house accommodate?

Not all roofs are shaped arranged in a way that they can take many solar panels. More than the state of the roof, the slope and shape of the roof can make it challenging to arrange panels so that they’re effective. Some homes have a roof that’s shaped so that you can easily install what looks like a large sheet of solar panels. Others require arranging panels in areas where they’re available but aren’t necessarily ideal for sun exposure. Your installation technician can evaluate your roof for free and put together the perfect design for your home.

Schedule a free consultation

If you’d like to learn more about installing Maryland solar panels on your home, get in touch with Solar-verse. Call 443-455-0313 to schedule a free consultation or send a message using our online contact form. We look forward to working with you.