Solar Power Might Be An Option Even If Your Roof Faces East Or You Have Trees In Your Yard

If you're thinking of installing solar power, you may be wondering if your home and property are suitable. For instance, you may have mature trees in your yard or you may wonder about the orientation of your roof. A solar power company can answer your questions and calculate how effective solar panels would be on your property and recommend changes you could make that would help. Here are some points you may want to discuss.

If Your Trees Make Too Much Shade

If your trees are already mature, you won't have to worry about future growth blocking the panels, but you'll want to know how the current height and shade from the trees will affect the efficiency of the solar panels. The solar power company can calculate this by considering the location of the trees and their height. The closer the trees are to your house, the bigger the problem could be.

If trees are an issue, the solar power representative may suggest trimming back branches or cutting off limbs where necessary. In some cases, it might be necessary to remove a tree so the sun can hit the solar panels. The solar power expert can help you calculate if it's worth removing a tree based on cost and environmental impact.

If You Don't Want Solar Panels On Your Roof

A roof is the ideal place for solar panels since few things block the sun on the roof and the panels are out of the way. However, there might be reasons you don't want the panels on your roof, or your roof might not be suitable for solar panels.

An option to consider is building a structure to support the panels, such as adding a big shed or outbuilding to your property. That adds to the cost significantly, but if you need an outbuilding, big shed, or carport and are thinking of building one anyway, it might be a good place to have solar panels installed. Plus, you'll be able to situate the new structure so it has the best sun exposure.

Another option to think about is putting the solar panels on the ground if you have a large enough lot and your yard is in the sun. When they're installed on the ground, the panels can be positioned and tilted so they get maximum sun exposure all seasons of the year.

If Your Roof Faces East

If the largest area of your roof faces east, solar panels won't get as much sun as they would on a roof that faces the south or west. That doesn't necessarily mean you can't put solar panels on your roof. When solar panels are installed, they're tilted so they receive the most sun in the area where they are positioned.

The solar power company representative may need to run calculations to determine how efficient the panels will be, but there's a good chance you can have solar panels installed no matter which way your roof faces, and even if you have trees in your yard. However, you'll want to know all these details upfront so you'll feel confident solar power is a good choice for you.

For more information about your options, contact a solar power company.