4 Myths About Solar Panels Shattered

In the age of conflicting news we often find ourselves being fed misinformation from all kinds of sources.  Because solar energy has experienced such rapid recent growth, a good number of rumors have popped up specifically pertaining to solar panels. Unfortunately, those rumors can lead people to shy away from it.  So let’s debunk some of those myths:

You Need a South-Facing Roof

The scuttlebutt is that if you don’t have a southern-facing roof, panels aren’t worth installing.  The truth is though south-facing roofs are important, the most vital factor for maximizing solar energy is having uninterrupted sunlight so your home is not shaded by structures or foliage.

Related: 3 Game-Changing Solar Technologies

They Don’t Work in Cloudy Climates

The perpetual myth is that if your climate is generally overcast, solar panels are a waste. Frankly, that just isn’t true.  Although photovoltaic cells may experience a small drop off in efficiency under cloudy skies, they still are able to convert sunlight into energy.  Hello Seattle!

They Damage Your Roof

Also false is that solar panels require regular maintenance and can damage your roof.  On the contrary, once installed, solar panels need no maintenance and can actually help preserve the integrity of your roof.  Solar panels are installed on metal structures that are mounted above your roof thus preserving that part of the roof from exposure to the elements.   As an added bonus, a colder climate will help extend the life of the solar panels themselves.

Solar Power Will Only Get Cheaper Next Year, So Wait

Like the housing market, whenever someone looks at investing in solar panels people get sticker shock from the high price. They justify their hesitation to buy by saying that the panels only get cheaper and more efficient next year.  But the truth is that solar panels are incredibly efficient right now and the cheaper alternatives aren’t there yet.  Though there are less expensive solar panels on the horizon, they are still a ways off and every year you wait is more money lost that you could have been saving from having a solar panel installed on your home.

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