Solar panel home installation is an exciting project to take on. But it’s a project that requires a bit of time and effort, so you’ll want to know how long it takes to install solar panels. You have to be thorough and dedicated to the process to get the results you’re looking for. We recommend going through a professional installation company rather than trying to tackle this kind of project on your own. There are more factors involved than simply sticking a panel on your roof, and the process should be entrusted to trained companies who know what they’re doing. We’ll walk you through the steps of solar panel home installation below.
Selecting Your Solar Panels
Step one is doing your research. Figure out exactly what kind of solar panels are available and which ones are going to be the right fit for your roof. You should have a budget in place as well—this can help narrow down your options. You’ll want to make sure the panels you go with and the company associated with them meet the following criteria:
- Certified and Licensed: Are they licensed and certified to be selling and installing solar panels?
- Experience: How many completed projects do they have under their belts?
- Customer Testimonials: Do they have customer reviews that indicate what their experiences with the company were like? Are the reviews mostly positive or mostly negative?
- Outsourcing: Do they use a fulfillment company to do the installs or do their own inhouse employees do the work?
- ServicesGuarantees & Warranties: Do they offer maintenance repairs or any type of coverage at all? Do they offer a guarantee on how much electricity your solar panels will produce? What type of warranties do they offer?
This part of the process can take anywhere from one week up to a month—it really depends on how much time and energy you want to devote to research and what kinds of perks you want from your panels and installation company. For instance, Smart Wave Solar comes with all kinds of additional advantages such as leading technology and features as well as emergency power (most solar stops working when the power goes out, but Smart Wave is different).
Site Visits
Once you’ve decided on your installer and the panels you want, the next step involves that installer coming to your home for site visits. These visits will help them figure out the custom installation they’ll need to do on your roof. The installer will likely also need the opinions and insight of various other field professionals such as electricians and roofing contractors. This step should take a couple of weeks at most.
Design and Approval
After all relevant information has been compiled, your installer will design a layout for your solar panels. These designs will include internal electrical connections, the wiring, the angle of the panels, etc. It will be up to you to provide the final approval for the design. In many instances, an outside engineering firm will also need to approve the design and provide an engineering letter. Designing and approving the design generally takes from one to two weeks.
Submitting the Permit and Getting Approval
Next, the plans are submitted for approval to your local planning board. Areas that see a lot of solar use usually streamline this process, but it can still take anywhere from a week to a month or longer to get the permit granted..
Installation
After your permit is approved, it will be time to do the actual installation. This stage in the process will vary depending on how many panels you’re putting in, but on average, you can expect it to take a couple days, but it might take a few weeks to get on your job on the schedule. Your installer should also have an idea of what the timeline for this step will look like.
Inspection and Approval
Following the installation, you’ll need final approval from your city inspector and utility company. You’ll generally need a new “net” meter installed by the utility company. Their approval is the final step in the process of solar panel home installation. These steps generally take 2-4 weeks. After these are completed, you can start enjoying the benefits of producing your own electricity through your solar panels!
Solar Panel Home Installation with Smart Wave Solar
How long does it take to install solar panels? The entire process from start to finish will generally last anywhere from six weeks to six months, but it is well worth the effort. The national average is around 90 days. For solar panel installation for your home that comes with all the requirements as well as some extra perks and benefits, contact Smart Wave Solar.
