Here’s the most exciting step in your renewable energy journey so far: it’s solar panel installation day. Finally, you’re getting some panels up there! We’ll contact you to schedule the big day, ideally within a few days but possibly up to a week or more out depending on availability, and then head to your house for delivery and setup of your solar power system. Although we’re done with the heavy lifting after this step, your solar system isn’t ready to turn on just yet.
Keep reading to find out more about the solar panel installation process!
What to Expect on Installation Day
Our team of experienced solar professionals will arrive at your home bright and early on the scheduled day. Usually, this is a one-day event, starting first thing in the morning. The installation process typically takes all day, but may extend into several days depending on the scope.
The installation itself involves the following steps:
- Arrival & Site Preparation: Our team shows up with safety equipment and cones to rope off the “exclusion area”, which just refers to any high-traffic or potentially hazardous work areas that we want to keep non-technicians away from.
- Roof Check & Prep: Our technicians will carefully assess your roof and prepare it for the solar panel installation. We’ll ensure the designated mounting planes are free of debris and remain structurally sound at all planned penetration points. While rare, it’s still possible that we can miss spongy or overly worn spots on the roof that should be addressed prior to install, to avoid unnecessary expenses down the road.
- Mounting System Installation: The next step is to install the mounting system, which consists of racking, feet and flashing. This system will securely hold your solar panels in place to the roof, with watertight seals around the base of each footing and tight clamps to ensure stability in the event of high winds.
- Solar Panel Placement: Our team will carefully place the solar panels onto the mounting system according to the designed plan sets, ensuring optimal solar energy capture as intended.
- Electrical Wiring: Conduits will be run from the roof to the inverter or combiner box, which is typically installed on the outside of your home. We will also install any batteries and other components required for your complete solar system.
- System Connection: We’ll connect your solar system to your home’s electrical panel. This will allow your system to generate clean, renewable energy and offset your reliance on traditional electricity without any interruption to your lifestyle (once we can safely activate it).
- Clean Up & Departure: Finally, we’ll tidy up after ourselves. We believe in “leave it better than you found it” and strive to practice it every day. We always want to treat your home with utmost respect and bid you farewell with a smile.
So what do you need to do to ensure a smooth solar panel installation process? Keep the area around your home clear of any obstructions that could disrupt where the work will take place. It’s also important to keep pets or young children indoors during the installation process to ensure their safety. Be sure to let us know if you have any specific concerns about the work itself when we arrive and when we depart. Your dedicated Concierge will contact you after the installation to check in and make sure everything was conducted to your satisfaction.
What Comes Next?
While the bulk of the manual labor may be complete after installing solar panels on your home, there are a few more steps before your system is fully operational. Keep reading to find out all about Final Inspections, Permission to Operate, and Activation!