Once you’ve finally secured the perfect solar panel system you’ve always wanted for your home, it can be quite tempting to install them yourself. After all, DIY projects are supposed to help you save on the cost of professional labor. And manual solar panel installation can’t be that hard to do, right?
Unfortunately, no. Not right.
Solar panels are not ordinary household items, and should therefore not be treated as such. They’re complex units that should be handled and installed professionally be licensed, certified technicians. Attempting to do it yourself yields more risk than reward. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. Permits and Regulations
There are specific regulations that govern commercial and residential solar panel installations. A licensed contractor can help make sure that your installation process and equipment follows all national, state, and local safety and building standards. You may also have to get approval from a local electrical inspector and other city planning departments, which they can help you secure.
By hiring a professional installer, you can also be sure that your solar system will meet all specific requirements your insurance company has. They’ll therefore be responsible for covering the requirements from your power company. A certified solar panel installer ensures everything is set up properly so that you will not have to deal with legal problems after the solar panel installation.
2. Proper Placement
The hardest part of installing new solar panels is not the actual installation; it’s the planning process that precedes it. It’s very important to do thorough research on how solar panels work to know where to place them for peak solar energy. You can’t just stick them on your roof and hope for the best—it doesn’t work like that, and it’s a good way to waste your solar panels. If they’re not placed correctly, you won’t get the optimal amount of power you need. You also won’t save that much on your monthly energy bill, if that’s the case.
With a professional installer, you can rest assured that someone with knowledge and industry experience is handling all the details. Plus, a certified solar installer can answer any technical questions you may have. Good installers have experience and a long track record when it comes to different situations.
3. Risk Involved
Regardless of how much planning you’ve done, installing solar panels is not a simple task. The process is labor-intensive and technically complex, particularly because high-voltage wiring is involved in it. You risk injuring yourself if you do all wiring work on your own. If done incorrectly, the wiring could also potentially harm other people in your household.
Solar panels that are not properly hooked up can lead to a power surge that can, in turn, blow up an inverter, which might burn down your property. There’s also a risk of electrocution to whoever’s near the wires—primarily you. Select states even require people to have certain specifications or licenses to legally wire solar panels. They also need to have the proper equipment and skills for the job.
While installing your own solar panel can seem like a great idea, taking the DIY route can do more harm than good. You not only put yourself at risk but also the other people living in your home. What’s great is the cost of solar panels nowadays has significantly gone down, so you no longer have a reason not to call a professional for your solar panel installation needs.
