Here is some very basic information on related to installing solar panels. For more detailed information about installation issues; see our Consumer Guide To Solar Power.
Can I self install a solar power system?
Yes, but not if you wish to receive government rebates or subsidies. For that, you’ll need an accredited installer to do the work in that situation.
However, if you wish to self-install, Energy Matters can provide home owner solar system installation kits. The average home handyperson can install a small solar panel system in a day and a half. You will still need an electrician to sign off the final wiring into your main fuse box.
What should I look for in a solar panel installer?
Solar is a serious investment and one you’ll be living with for a long time. So it’s important you engage a competent solar panel installer. You may have purchased the best equipment money can buy, but it will not achieve its full electricity generation potential if it is installed incorrectly. The array may even be dangerous. A poor installation could also put the structural integrity of your roof at risk. That could mean additional expense in future repairs.
Given these potential issues, you should pay as much attention to who you are going to choose to perform the installation as you would choosing the components.
Some questions you should ask potential solar panel installers:
- Are they an accredited installer? Find out their accreditation number
- Ask how many systems the company or person doing the installation has installed.
- Ask if there are any installation customers you can contact to gain a reference or read reviews from.
- Do all the products they use meet Australian standards?
These basic questions really only just scratch the surface. More detail can be viewed in our free Solar Power Consumer Guide.
Does Energy Matters’ perform solar panel installation?
Energy Matters has one of the nation’s largest networks of professional installation experts to help ensure your system is set up for maximum efficiency. And equally as important, that it is safe. Wherever possible, we utilise local installers to help support communities.
The pricing generated by our online solar quotes system includes full professional installation by experienced Clean Energy Council accredited professionals. Not only do our installers have to meet those standards, but ours as well.
Can panel frames have paint to match a roof?
Yes, that’s not a problem.
Are there special mounting requirements?
Metal tile, cement tile, ceramic tile and some commercial roofing structures will need a special mounting frame to hold the panels off the delicate roofing material. Most other roofing materials (tar and gravel, shake, shingle, composite tile) will not need any special mounting frames. Energy Matters’ has its own solar mounting system brand, SunLock. Solar installation professionals developed this brand for installers.
Back to Renewable Energy FAQs
