Installing my own Solar Panels to save even more money on my energy bills

Hello again everyone. Hope you all had a wonderful 2016. I’ve been busy all year so I haven’t been active as much in my blog. I have been saving up for solar panels for my house to make my home even more eco-friendly for 2017 but hiring a company to set everything up costs a fair amount of money.

Before reading this post, I suggest you take a quick read of this money saving expert post as it contains some great information for people thinking about getting solar panels installed on their home.

Installing solar panels can be a great investment for your home. You can save hundreds of pounds on your energy bill and if you have any electricity left over, you can sell it right back to the energy company. After seeing the great Elon Musk reveal his new amazing roof solar panels (see video below), I have been motivated to install my own. They wont look as good as the ones Elon is promoting but they will do the job for now.

How I will install my solar panels

Solar panels are generally expensive, and hiring an engineer to install the panels can add up to the total cost fairly quickly. Instead I’ll be setting up everything myself (with the assistance of my friend, John who installs these as part of his job). I have most of the tools at home and pretty much only need to buy the panels itself. The type of panels I’ll be setting up are called photovoltaic solar panels- which basically provide energy to power your everyday electrical items such as your fridge, TV, computer and chargers. The other type called solar thermal panels, provide energy to heat up your heaters and water. They are both tempting and you should really think about it carefully before making a choice as both have their own pros and cons.

You may have also heard of companies that give out free solar panels and fittings, the most popular being ‘A Shade Greener’ but the process of applying for it is long and tedious and at times gets rejected like in my instance. It wouldn’t hurt to try applying yourself. Here is their website: https://www.ashadegreener.co.uk/

Making sure your house is fit for solar

My house is already in a prime position for solar energy as it is facing south which catches the most sun, and obviously will generate and save me the most electricity. Don’t panic if your home isn’t south facing. You can still generate a fair amount of energy with homes facing other directions but south facing homes are the most efficient.

I phoned a friend of mine and asked him about planning permission since her works with my local council and installs solar panels himself and said that you don’t need any planning permission for solar panels unless you have a flat roof home. Not sure why this is the case but there must be a good reason to it. Please don’t use this as concrete advice as every council around the country may have different planning permission types.

Getting everything ready

First things first, the actual solar panels. After researching and trying to find the best solar panels for the price, I found a couple of trustworthy websites. I bought my solar panels from here: http://www.bimblesolar.com/ . Unlike other companies, Bimble Solar sell used panels. I managed to get  5 used ones for a reduced price. They have been used before but are still it tip top shape and with the massive discount you get as well as a nice warranty to keep your mind at ease. I think it’s worth it for the price. There are literally hundreds of different types of panels, so if you’re not sure what you’re doing or buying don’t be afraid to ask the sellers for help.

Most heavy tools that are needed for installing the solar panels I already have in my shed but for small things such as protective coating and scaffolding tools, you can get at your local B&Q or ScrewFix.

Obviously you will be installing these panels on your home roof, so you’re going to need a way to get up there. If you’re hiring someone to install them for you, you don’t need to worry about this. However if your like myself and want to install them on your own, then you will need a good set of ladders. I bought myself a telescopic ladder which does the job fine. The 3.8 meter one is more than enough for most of my DIY projects including this one, since my roof is quite low as I live in a bungalow type house. If you don’t have one, take a read through this post: http://www.techturtle.co.uk/best-telescopic-ladder/ to determine the best size and type of telescopic ladder to get.  All the ladders mentioned in the post meet EN131 and CE ladder safety laws, so you can also use them safely for your business. Remember, telescopic ladders can be used at any height up to the maximum height. So for the 3.8 meter one I have, you can lock it at half-length for smaller house projects or lock it at the full 3.8 meters for roofing projects. They are a pretty useful tool to have and can be stored very easily.

Solar panels have come a long way in terms of reliability and are generally very problem-less. However if one of your panels does fail to work It is generally an easy and cheap fix, do don’t be afraid to get second hand panels- just make sure your get the right type! If you don’t know anyone that can help you install or fix your panels, take a look around Gumtree for a freelancer that can do the job for you. Although I suggest you get at least half a dozen quotes so you can get a general idea of how much it’ll cost.

Good luck and if you need any help setting up yours, leave a comment and I’ll try my best to answer it.