Multiple elements are worth considering when determining which of the 580 Tampa solar installation companies is best for your home. Knowing if the size of your property is around 1,686 square feet—the median for the Tampa metro area—will help you determine how many panels you need.
Here are a number of other factors to keep in mind.
Size of the System You Need
When considering solar, you’ll need to know how many panels or what size solar system you need for your home. When determining how many solar panels you’d need, you should have the following information ready before consulting with a company:
Also, tell your potential solar company how many people are in your household. Tampa has three people in the average household, so installers may use this average number as a benchmark for how much solar energy you need.
Solar Warranties
Solar companies offer different warranties on their products and services, but you can find some common themes among the most prominent companies. For example, most solar companies and vendors offer 25-year warranties for solar panel performance and factory defects. Warranties for other elements, such as battery and charge controllers, vary depending on the item and the manufacturer.
You may find that some companies also include extra insurance and protection options for situations like property damage during installation, since the installation process involves altering your existing structures to accommodate the technology and wiring. Workmanship guarantees usually come standard, but coverage length can vary as well.
If you plan to lease your solar system, most companies will cover all issues throughout the contract duration. Also, they will typically take responsibility for solar system maintenance.
Types of Solar Warranties
- b>Manufacturer’s Equipment Warranty (Product Guarantee): Also called a product warranty, a manufacturer’s equipment warranty usually offers 25 years of protection for premium, high-quality solar panels and covers manufacturing defects and panel failure.
- Performance Warranty (Power Guarantee): A power guarantee is a promise from the manufacturer that your solar panels will maintain an output of a specified percentage of their original levels. Typical performance warranties range from 10 to 25 years and promise percentages of around 90% after 10 years and about 80% after 25 years.
- Workmanship Warranty: A workmanship or installation warranty covers any damage to your solar energy system caused during or as a result of installation. Coverages have a wide range from two to 15 years or more.
Solar Panel Type
Determining which type of solar panels will best suit your lifestyle is an important part of choosing an installation company. For residential use, there are typically three solar panel options: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. A fourth option, solar shingles, are newer and less cost-effective. But if money is less of an obstacle, solar roofing shingles are great for those who prefer a sleeker finished look.
Monocrystalline solar panels: These are the most frequently installed panels, boasting the highest efficiency rating of 20% or higher with warranties that typically last 25 years. Monocrystalline panels tend to cost the most upfront, as it costs more to manufacture them.
Polycrystalline solar panels: This panel option is typically less costly to build than its monocrystalline counterpart, making it cheaper to buy but also less efficient. Each panel produces about 250 watts of power instead of 300 or more. Polycrystalline panels resemble the more popular versions, though, and last nearly as long depending on the brand.
Thin-film solar panels: The most cost-effective option, thin-film solar panels are much lighter in comparison. They tend to be less efficient overall.
Solar shingles: For those with larger budgets, solar shingles may be the way to go. While they tend to be less efficient than monocrystalline panels (they have between 14% and 18% efficiency), shingles are a more attractive option.
Cost
Monocrystalline solar panels are pricey, costing an average of $1 to $1.50 per watt. On the other side of the price spectrum, thin-film panels cost between $0.43 and $0.50 per watt.
Shingles are a newer technology and accordingly cost more money and require a more in-depth installation.
Tampa Home Energy Needs
Based on the size of the median Tampa household, which is 1,686 square feet, and the average energy usage per household in Florida, which is 1,096 kWh per household you can estimate how much energy your home might require. This information can help you determine which solar company can best take care of your home’s needs within your budget.