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If you’ve been considering solar panels to cut energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, then you’re in the right place. In this guide we will walk you through the entire process, from the initial survey and scaffolding to installation, grid connection, monitoring, and support.
Whether you’re new to solar or comparing quotes, you’ll gain a clear understanding of each stage and feel confident about what to expect during your long-term investment.
Pre-Installation Survey
Our expert solar installers handle the entire installation process, starting with an initial assessment to determine the best system for your needs. During the assessment we will evaluate the roof’s condition, orientation, and incline, as well as how shaded it is and how much space is available to use. Through the use of Google Earth, we can conduct a remote survey of your home, providing you with an initial quote, installation specifications, and a comprehensive report outlining the estimated timeframe to see results from your investment. If you’re unsure on what impacts costs, have a read through of our guide to how much do solar panels cost.
After the completion of the survey, our team will follow up by creating a fully customised design, during this process, they will decide on the number of panels to use and just how to distribute across them across your roof making the most of any south-facing roof space. There are however some cases where an east-west facing area will outperform a south-facing one, your installer will consider all these options and decide on what they deem best for the job. Learn more about our solar installation services and how we tailor each project to your property.
Scaffolding
If you’re having solar panels installed on the roof, scaffolding will need to be erected around specific areas of the property in order to safely access the site where the panels will be fitted. We will organise to have these installed three to five days before the confirmed install date. When the job has been completed, the scaffolding will be taken down around five days after – This allows some wiggle room in case of any issues or to go back and alter anything if needed, this means you won’t have to pay for scaffolding to be constructed all over again.
Installation Day
Now that you’ve gone through all of this build up, it’s finally time for the main event, install day! Most jobs take about one to two days to be completed, how much time it takes to install your system largely depends on its size and complexity. We’ve written a guide to inform you on how many solar panels you need for your home.
There are some steps you need to take before the team of installers arrive to ensure the job runs smoothly, make sure they can access:
- The loft
- The consumer unit/fuse box
- Electricity meter
- The agreed battery and inverter locations
- As well as any routes between these locations
It’s recommended to make sure you’re at home each day of the install so that you can let the team into the property. Make sure to pass on the Wi-Fi password to the installers so that they can run through all the necessary system checks to ensure it’s working properly.
How are Solar Panels Attached to The Roof?
There are several different types of roof fixings available for solar panel installations, our team of installers will carefully select the correct fixing type for your roof type and take in and considerations you may have during pre-installation assessment.
The main types of roof attachments are:
- Roof Hooks and Rails:
The hooks are typically made of stainless steel and are designed to attach to the rafters or trusses of the roof. Roof hooks provide a secure base for the rails onto which the solar panels are fitted and provide maximum ventilation, ensuring the panels remain cool.
- In Roof:
The more expensive type of mounting system and is often used on new build properties or when a roof is being replaced. Although these types of panels are aesthetically pleasing with their flush surface design, they also come with some downsides. Due to the method of fixing solar panels within the roof itself, this reduces ventilation and can sometimes reduce the performance of the panels.
Once the mounts are securely in place, they will be securely attached and tightly screwed in to ensure the solar panels always remain stable.
Connecting to The Grid
Once the panels have been securely attached to the roof, the installers will move on to electrical wiring and connecting them to an inverter, this converts the DC electricity from the panels into AC electricity for the property to use by synchronising its voltage, frequency, and phase with the grid to ensure safe and efficient integration.
Will There be Mess or Disruption?
There is minimal disruption when installing solar panels. Once the scaffolding has been erected, the job of installing the panels is relatively straight-forward. Your installer may need to briefly turn off the power in order to connect the panels to the property’s electricity, but that should be the only type of ‘disruption’ you’ll face during the process.
Monitoring Your Solar Panels
Once your panels have been installed, keeping a watchful eye on your system ensures that you are always getting the best results. You can do this through our smart monitoring system which provides you with real-time insights into your solar panel system’s performance. This means you can identify any potential issues ahead of time and track energy generation and consumption.
We also offer an optional remote monitoring service to further support you, we’ll detect any system issues and alert you to opportunities for performance improvements.
Aftercare and Support
We’re not just here for the installation of your panels, our service is built to support you for years to come. Our installations come with a minimum two years workmanship guarantee. And if anything goes wrong, we offer dedicated solar panel repairs and maintenance services to keep your system performing at its best.
We are here to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact our team of experts today for further guidance and advice or receive your instant quote. Want to know why homeowners across the region trust us? See why people choose East Yorkshire Solar.
Email: info@eastyorkshiresolar.co.uk
Telephone: 01482 230 422