How You Can Make Sure That Your Solar Panel Installation Is More Efficient

There’s no doubt that even in the United Kingdom, solar panel systems have proven to be an excellent investment – ask the thousands of home and property owners who have already jumped on the bandwagon, so to speak. And as more homeowners are opting for a solar panel installation for their property, you may be asking yourself how you can make your system more efficient, so it more than pays for itself in the end. This is a sound and logical consideration, as you want to get the most value from this significant investment, even though the cost of an installation has dropped by almost 50% in recent years. But how can you make sure that your solar panel installation is more efficient? Let’s find out.

Top considerations

• The pitch of your roof

 One aspect you would need to think about when it comes to the efficiency of your installation is the pitch of your roof – in other words, its angle. The angle can affect the sunlight hours your panels are exposed to in one day, and because of this factor alone, you need to look carefully at your roof before having your system installed. The ideal pitch for a domestic solar panel array is approximately 30 to 45 degrees, but even if your roof isn’t pitched at this angle, it’s still worth having an installation if you consider other factors as well.

•   The placement of the solar panels

 Aside from the pitch, you also have to consider the placement of the solar panels, as skilled solar panels, Manchester installers like Atlantic Renewables explain. Here in the United Kingdom, most installers would recommend having panels that face south, so your roof should face south as well if you want maximum efficiency. But you can still place them on a roof facing west or east, which will have a lower output level. 

• The maintenance requirements

 The crucial news about maintenance is that rainfall is ideal for solar panels because it can keep them clean, so you don’t need to clean them as often if you experience a lot of showers. But you may have to schedule a more thorough cleaning for the panels around once or twice a year to get rid of any dirt or droppings from birds that can reduce their efficiency. You can hire a professional for this rather than try tackling it yourself, as they will have the necessary equipment and skill to carry it out quickly and safely.

•   The shade

 This aspect can also have a significant impact on the efficiency of your system because even just a bit of shade from tree leaves or branches or other buildings nearby can already decrease your system’s efficiency by as much as 50%. The best thing to do to deal with this potential issue is to have your installer perform an analysis of your roof’s shade so they can assess any problem and advise you on how to solve it.

• The temperature

 The temperature may be another factor that can affect your system’s overall efficiency, but this efficiency can only be affected if the temperature is too hot. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue in the country as we don’t generally experience scorching temperatures to cause concern.