It’s normal to be concerned about how beneficial solar will be before purchasing a solar energy system. Some people are worried that their home is surrounded by too many trees. Some think the weather isn't good enough where they live. Some are concerned their home is too old to support solar. One of the first things we do when we come out to inspect a potential client’s home is to address these concerns and make sure the property is fit for solar. We don’t want members of our community investing in solar if it’s not beneficial.
We occasionally come across a home where solar won’t deliver enough yields to be beneficial. Though they’re far more rare than people think. While some concerns about solar are completely valid, some are based on myths and a misunderstanding of how solar works. More often than not, homes in central PA are great for solar. Winters can be cold, but the sun is shining. And while trees can be a problem depending on the pitch of a roof and the direction it’s facing, if a structure is sound, the age of a home doesn’t matter.
Considering the question of age, check out two of our recent installs. One is for a newly built house, one for cabin that’s over 130 years old!
The beautiful and historic cabin frame home pictured above was built in the 1800s. Despite it’s age, the structure is more than adequate to support an array. We fit it with a 6.4kW solar array and a Tesla Powerwall battery backup. As many people living remotely in our gorgeous area can attest, it's not uncommon for a tree to knock out power lines. That won’t be a a problem here. If the lines go down, this cabin will still be collecting and storing more than enough energy to power the cabin.
This above home is brand new. We fit the southern facing roof with a powerful 16kW array. It also has a Tesla Powerwall backup. Getting us involved early in the construction process from day one means that when the owners move in, they will never have to worry about paying an electric bill.
In the end, no matter how old your home is, solar can be a fantastic way to reduce or end your electric bill (you may even make money by selling power back to your utility company), keep the lights on when the grid goes down, and reduce your emissions
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