When planning to install solar panels one must understand that it is no easy task and it is not an overnight process. Switching to solar energy has a lot of steps and it will approximately take around 3- 4 months however in some circumstances it can be done in less than 3 months depending on where you live, the services, and much more. The following article will describe the timeline for installing solar panels.
- The first step in installing solar panels after entering the contract with the solar company is the site assessment. Usually, people from the company will come to assess the site. The main things they look for are the dimensions of the rooftop, ventilation system, shading, and the condition of the roof. This roughly takes around 7 – 9 days.
- After the site assessment, next comes the designing and engineering. Design engineers will work on designing and adjusting the plans to make sure it meets the local permit codes Once the verification and designing are done by the engineer; the plans will be submitted to the city for permits. The designing and applying for a permit will usually take around 1 – 2 months.
- Only after getting the permit can the company that installed the solar panels. Getting a permit is similar to getting approval for a construction project. You need to have a solar and electrical permit in most cases. This will be verified by the local planning and permitting officers. This usually takes up to a month or so for getting approval. The solar company will usually take care of this.
- Next comes the Solar panel installation itself. Once all the permits are approved, installation of the panels can be started. The installation part is the quickest step compared to the other mentioned steps here. It can be done roughly in a day or 2 days by a team of skilled technicians.
- Final Inspection and approval are required. Inspection will be done to make sure the panels are installed correctly according to the city’s codes. This is to make sure it meets the safety standard and the panels are installed according to the engineering design since you are technically installing your very own energy-producing system this is an essential step. These inspections vary according to cities and jurisdictions. The inspections usually take about a week depending on the availability of the inspector and if there are any corrections to be made it may even take longer to finish the inspection.
- The next step is informing the utility company to switch to your solar billing. Through Net energy metering (NEM) allows the owner to feed the surplus of electricity directly to the grid. More information is given on Net Energy Meteringin this article. So, until the utility company is aware of this you won’t be credited for the surplus energy that is being sent back to the grid.
Going solar may seem like a daunting task from all the site evaluation, designing, and installation of the panels but that shouldn’t stop you from switching over to solar energy. Solar is the cheapest source of energy available and it will help accelerate the transition toward going carbon neutral. The sooner the better. By going solar you are not only reducing the cost of electricity you are also helping to save the planet