Solar panels are an excellent investment for anyone’s home who wants to save money on their energy bills and be eco-conscious about their energy consumption.
But did you know that old solar panels need replacing? In this article learn how often you need to replace old solar panels and how to go about replacing them?
Why Choose Solar Panels for Your Home?
Solar panels are one of the best investments you can make for your home. Even though there are upfront initial costs, the United States Department of Energy states that you should recoup your initial investment within 4 to 5 years [PDF].
With the rising concern in energy bills and being able to access energy for the future, solar panels are the smart investment for any savvy homebuyer.
How Often Do Old Solar Panels Need Replacing?
The estimated life span of solar panels is around 25-30 years. This will highly depend on the climate of your area and the amount of rain or snowfall you receive.
In hotter and dryer climates solar panels will last longer, as they would be subjected to the elements as much.
However every year your solar panels will lose some of their effectiveness, with degradation rates of around 0.3% to 0.8%.
When your electricity and your systems efficiency rate drops significantly, this might be an indication that your solar panels need replacing.
How to Dispose of Old Solar Panels
This can usually be done by the company that you’ve selected to do your solar panel reinstallation.
Solar panels are incredibly large and heavy sheets of metal, and shouldn’t be taken down by someone who doesn’t have experience in solar panel installation.
Take a look at Blue Raven Solar and its solar installation cost. They have been servicing the Greensboro area for years and are a reputable company in the field of solar energy.
With solar panel installation at its lowest for 5 years, there has never been a better time to change to solar power.
How to Extend the Lifespan of your Solar Panels
There are certain ways and techniques that can help with extending the lifespan of your solar panels.
Monitoring your solar panels by eyesight is handy for noticing any racking that’s loose. This should be done once a month for full effect.
Any excessive amount of debris can also hinder solar panel efficiency. This can usually be done on the ground. It’s highly unlikely you’ll have to go up on the roof to clean your solar panels.
Check your warranties and the small print with your solar panel provider, they will have coverage in place if anything needs fixing with your panels.
Changing Your Old Solar Panels: What Next?
We hope this article on when to change old solar panels has given you plenty of information on what to do when things need replacing.
All solar panels will eventually need replacing, especially if your panels are getting old. However, there are loads of companies out there that can assist with reinstallation.
If you enjoyed this article, check out our other blog posts!
Featured image: Pexels (Los Muertos Crew).
