What to Expect During a First Solar Assessment
What to Expect During a First Solar Assessment
If you’ve looked into solar, you know how much detail goes into designing a solar system. If you want to see significant return on investment, your system needs to be customized to best fit your home.
That’s why we always get boots on the ground before we install your solar energy system. We take a look at your attic space, roof, power meter, and more to make sure that we have all the details we need to create an accurate and beneficial solar system for your home.
Home Assessment Overview
We will work with you to schedule your home assessment at a time that is convenient for you. We recommend budgeting at least thirty minutes for your assessment to ensure that there is enough time for the surveyor to examine your home thoroughly and answer any questions you may have.
The surveyor will need to climb inside your attic to calculate its square footage, examine and measure the rafters, and take photos of the space. This part of the assessment is important for energy efficiency, revealing information like the amount of insulation needed or the best location for a solar attic fan. It also lets them know if your rafters are in good condition and able to support solar panels on your roof.
The surveyor will also want to take a look at your power box, and ideally also your water heater. This gives them more information on how to correctly hook up all the components of your solar energy system and whether they can supply insulation for your water heater.
Surveyors also need to be able to take a quick lap around the outside of your home. This allows them to examine your roof surface, getting better information on its composition and any potential hazards. They will also take a look at your power meter, another detail necessary to properly hook up your system.
Besides these examinations, all that’s left is any questions you may have! Our surveyors will be able to answer any questions you may have about solar and energy efficiency, and can help you schedule your next steps.
The Importance of First Assessments
Don’t be fooled by how easy this process is; the information surveyors collect at your solar assessment is crucial to designing a solar system that fits the unique needs of your home. It ensures that our information about your home is current: for example, maybe our system still shows a tree shading your roof that you cut down last month. Without visiting your home, we will not be able to collect the details we need to design you the best system possible.
If you’re ready for your first assessment, reach out to Earth Right Mid-Atlantic so we can schedule one for you. On the day of your assessment, make sure you have your power bill accessible, as well as information on the age of your roof. Please notify your surveyor in advance if you have a scuttle hole attic entrance so they know to bring a ladder.
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