So, you decided to make the switch to solar. How exciting! And now that our experts have performed a site evaluation and have the green light from the city to move ahead with solar panel installation, you’re on your way to saving big by making your home a cleaner, brighter place to live!
Now, there’s just the little matter of getting those cool new rooftop accessories installed. The good news is, you don’t have to lift a finger during your solar panel installation because we take care of everything from top to bottom.
Here’s what you can expect on the day your solar panels go up:
Installation
Here’s the part that everyone is familiar with!
On a high level, the day-of solar installation job will look like this:
- Prep the roof and make sure the shingles or tiles are properly attached
- Start installing the wiring for the new solar system (electrical wiring that will connect to the electrical panel and general power system)
- Then install racking equipment on the roof (to support the solar panels, this is the only piece of equipment that will actually be attached to the roof). Once the racking is level and safely attached, the panels are placed onto the racking.
- Finally, connect the solar panels to the inverter or power controllers. Inverters are connected to the panels to convert direct current (DC) to the alternating current (AC) energy used in homes and on the electric grid.
Utility will Swap Meters
If the client lives in an area where net-metering is allowed, the solar installer or local utility will install a new power meter that allows for bi-directional metering of electricity.
Interconnection
With the solar panel system physically installed at this point, the last step is final inspection from the utility and/or local officials.
Inspectors will ensure that the work done by the installer was done safely, appropriately, and to code. This will include verifying that the electrical wiring was done correctly, the mounting was safely and sturdily attached, and the overall install meets standard electrical and roof setback codes.
Once inspectors have signed off, the switch is flipped, and the solar panels are officially generating electricity for the home.
