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Did you know Americans installed enough solar panels last year to power 22 million residences?
All you have to do is read the newspaper, watch the news on TV, or check your favorite online news portal to see that natural disasters and severe weather systems aren’t uncommon. And when they touch down, they can wreak havoc and disrupt every aspect of your life in the process.
Are you prepared if there’s a disaster that knocks the power grid offline? Getting solar panels installed on your property means you won’t be dependent on the power grid to power your home. You’ll be able to heat or cool your home, use appliances, and more. Rather than feeling helpless, you’ll be ready to deal with the fallout and might be able to help people beyond your family, too.
But while solar panels are a good idea, not everyone wants them on their roof. What are your options if you’re not interested in installing solar panels on your roof? Perhaps you just recently got a new roofing system put on and don’t want to install anything on top of them. Or maybe you’ll need to replace your roofing system within a few years and don’t want to put the solar panels on the aging roof. After all, why install the panels and soon thereafter have to remove them, change the roof, and put the solar panels back on? That’s a waste of time and money.
Continue reading to see three placement options if you don’t want solar panels on your roof.
1. Pole-Mounted Solar Panel Installation
One option for solar panel installation is the pole-mount method. It’s something to consider if you don’t want solar panels on your roof or if your roof won’t accommodate them. Going this route means you’ll have to reserve a significant amount of ground space to make room for the pole-mounted solar panels. If you don’t have a large property, this option may not fit you best. Ask a company that offers solar panels and installation services to see if it’s a viable option.
2. Solar Shade Awnings
If you have very little space for solar panels mounted in the ground, one possibility to mull over is solar shade awnings. They can be installed on the side of your house — rather than on the roof. An installer will select a side that has substantial sunlight exposure. So, you’ll have options even if your property doesn’t have the type of space that’ll allow for pole-mounted solar panels. Even so, a heavily treed property might not make solar shade awnings the best way to go.
3. Carport Solar Panels
An option growing in popularity is the solar structure segment. For instance, instead of an ordinary carport, you can get a solar carport, which is a carport with solar panels built in. If you want to maximize the use of your property, getting something that serves multiple purposes is a great idea. You can use your solar carport to park your car, garden tractor, and other vehicles, and also use it to generate electricity that can help offset the amount of utility power you use.
“Solar carports offer an aesthetic and functional solution to keep your vehicles out of the elements and generate energy,” says Jen Helms, co-owner and director of business operations at Sunnyvale, CA-based Shade Power. “Our solar carports are constructed out of heartwood redwood, a decay-resistant, long-lasting wood with an aesthetic charm all its own.”
You can consider these options if you want solar panels but don’t fancy having them installed on your roof. The good news is that you don’t have to go with roof-mounted solar panels that can be aesthetically unappealing and complicate the process of servicing them.
Your best bet is to talk to a provider of solar panels to see which option is the best for your home.
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