Being a bright spark

Solar panels may all look very similar to the untrained eye, but they are often priced very differently for a reason. If you're in the market for solar panels for your home, you should not let price alone be your guide. Instead, it's good to educate yourself about those differences so you know you choose a solar panel system that will provide your home with the power it needs, and that will last for years to come. Note the following guidelines.

1. Size in watts

Watts refers to the amount of power that can be supplied to your home by the solar panels. All electrical devices need a certain number of watts to function, and if you tend to run large appliances or use many electronics at once, you will need solar panels that can provide a larger number of watts. To figure your needs, you might check the watts required by your largest appliances in the kitchen as well as your television sets, and use those combined numbers as a minimum.

2. Size in dimensions

Solar panels come in different sizes so they can actually fit on the roof of a home. When determining the watts of a solar panel, you also need to consider its overall physical size. Larger panels may offer you more watts, but if they don't physically fit on your home's roof, they're not the right choice. If you don't know the area of your roof that can accommodate solar panels, have it measured before you even begin to shop.

3. Certifications

In many areas there are government rebates available for when you purchase solar panels. However, they often need to have a particular certification for you to be eligible for these rebates. If you're looking to be reimbursed from the government for the cost of your panels, be sure you check this certification first and shop accordingly.

4. Warranty or durability

As with any other major purchase for your home, you need to look at the warranty that is offered with the solar panels you choose. The warranty offered will tell you something about their durability and the longevity you can expect. This is important, as it may take many months for you to recoup the cost of installation from the energy savings you'll have every month.

In other words, if it costs $3000 to purchase and install the panels and you save $200 every month on your electric bill, you will have just broken even on this cost after 15 months. You don't want your panels to break down and need replacement soon after, as this will mean no real savings on your energy bills overall.

Learn more about these principles and your options by contacting companies like Accord Electrical.