Solar power source is becoming quite popular these days. With the help of this power source you can save on your electricity bill. In case, you are interested to install solar panels in your house, you need to make few hard calculations. This is because you need to make a big initial investment, which will give you lots of saving in the longer run. The amount of savings will however be dependent on the total area of your house. Therefore, you need to decide whether it is worth spending your money for such power source.
If you have finalized your decision to install solar panel at your residence then you need to take following steps to install them.
Find a suitable Installer
To start with, you can discuss with few installers in Los Angeles free solar panels and enquire about their installation charges. Make sure that the installer is MCS certified. You must get minimum 3 quotations before initiating your discussion. In order to find the addresses of various installers, you can either search them on the net or discuss with your friends and colleagues, who may have installed solar panel at their house.
While you get three quotations make sure that the installers have mentioned the charges for the following activities clearly.
- Scaffolding charges
- Removal activity of existing and other roofing
- Internal wiring charges
- Negotiation and settlement with existing energy provider
- Generation meter charges
- Electrical connection work
Start Installation Work
After you have decided suitable installer for solar panel, they may take around 3 to 4 weeks to complete their work. You must plan for the feed in tariff based on this timeframe. Fitting of panels may take couple of days.
Register for Feed in Payments
After the panels are installed, your installer will provide you with MCS certificate. You can thereafter register for new payments with the licensed power supplier. While submitting your completed application form you must also enclose the followings.
- MCS Certificate
- Energy performance certificate
- Proof of purchase
- Your ID
You can get these certificates through email from your installer, which you can forward to the power supplier. However, if you prefer to send them by post then you must keep a proof for the same.
For better safety Pay with your Credit Card
If you pay by credit card then you are protected under laws and you have certain consumer rights. However, if you pay through check or through debit card then you may not get that privilege.
Check whether your meter is going Backwards
Sometimes after the installation of solar panel, you will find that the meter is not showing proper reading and it is moving backwards. You are certainly not exporting power back to the grid. This happens as some of the analogue meters have certain inherent problems, which make them move backwards.
In case, you observe such things then you must contact your power supplier so that they can change the meter.