More and more homeowners in Sacramento are turning to solar panels as the means to power their homes.

For one thing, you never have to look at a utility bill ever again.  For another, installing solar panels instantly increases the value of your home. Third, you are contributing keeping the environment clean.

Solar power is renewable and inexhaustible and its production does not emit anything that can damage the environment.

If you are thinking of joining other Sacramento homeowners who have solar panels, start by considering the following:

1. Are you the homeowner?

This is important. You can’t install solar panels if you are not the homeowner or if you don’t have permission from the owner.

Installation requires that a contractor work on the premises. Were an accident to happen and the contractor or one of his workers got injured, they might come after the homeowner to pay the medical bills.

The homeowner should at the very least know that there are contractors on his roof; after that, he needs to make sure that they show proof of medical insurance.

2. You must have a decent roof

This comes almost without say. A good roof is necessary if it is going to support your panels for the years to come. Solar installers usually give a warranty 25 years long. This means that you should expect your current roof to remain in good condition for at least that long.

If your roof is aging, it is worthwhile to have it replaced and then have the solar panels installed. If you cannot afford to replace the whole roof, fix only the area where the panels will lie; you can do the rest of the roof later when you have the funds.

3. East, South or West facing roof

Solar panels usually generate energy from the light of the sun and not the heat, as many people think. This means that you must choose a spot on the roof that maximizes the amount of light you get in daylight hours.

The sun comes up in the east and travels to the west during the day. This means that your panels, if they are to get the most of the sun, should be facing either east or west. A south-facing roof would be ideal so that you get both the rising east and the setting west sunlight.

If you have the 2 roofs that face east and west, you may be wondering which roof you should choose. If they are tilted at different angles, you should choose the one that is more horizontal. If they are both tilted at the same angle, either one will do.

If you are not sure how to go about selecting the area of the roof where you panels will sit, ask a Sacramento solar energy company to come in and inspect; they are usually happy to do it for free.

A good option when you cannot get the right spot on the roof is to lay your solar panels on the ground. Because the panels themselves are encased, no damage will come to them. Make sure that they are in an open area away from trees and anything else that might obstruct sunshine.

4. Must not be shaded

We already mentioned that solar energy is generated by light from the sun, so installing solar panels in a place where they are not shaded is important. If you have trees that may get in the way, you should have them cut down to maximize the efficiency of your panels.

Finally, once your installation is done, you should make a point of cleaning your panels ever six months, especially in the summer when there is little rain. Dust can prevent the panels from producing less and less energy over time.

Ask your installation company if they can send someone regularly if you don’t want to go up on the roof yourself.

If you fit the following criteria, you are ready to start researching the best Sacramento solar company to do your system installation.