What Size Home Solar System Is Needed To Run A House?
When homeowners are making the decision to go solar, questions regarding the size of the system are common. To determine what size home solar system is needed to run your house data from multiple sources will be used. The Energy Experts at SunPro Solar will help guide your decision depending on what your energy goals look like.
Calculating Home Solar System Size
The amount of energy your home currently uses will be a major first factor. A common misconception is that your home size does not necessarily determine the number of solar panels you need. In other words, a bigger home does not always equal more energy consumption. An Energy Expert will look at your monthly kilowatt-hours (kWh) used as stated on your electric bill. Utility providers list total energy consumption for the last twelve months on your bill, so finding the average isn’t complicated. But estimating how much power you’ll require isn’t only based on what you now use, but depends on upgrades you are planning on. If adding a swimming pool, or the purchase of an electric car (EV) is in your future this will increase your energy consumption.
Yearly Sunshine Needed To Power A House
The second group of factors will be based on the climate you live in. Fewer solar panels are needed to generate the energy needed for your home if you live in a sunny state. This is good news for homeowners living in Southern California where the average amount of yearly sunshine is significantly higher than the rest of the country. Since the Southwest gets the most sun in the US, your investment in solar goes a lot further in terms of efficiency and decreases your solar payback period.
In addition to your location on the globe, the direction your roof faces is also a factor in determining the number of solar panels your need. A south-facing roof will receive more direct sunlight if you are living in the northern hemisphere. This means the side of the street you live on could affect the number of solar panels needed for your home.
Solar Panel System Performance
A final factor in sizing your home solar system is the wattage the solar panels you purchase can produce, referred to as panel performance or the panel’s efficiency rating. On average a homeowner needs between 28 to 34 solar panels to fully replace their electricity bill with solar energy. Not all solar panels are created equal, installing highly efficient panels means you will need less of them. Higher efficiency rated solar panels also mean a lower amount of roof square footage needed in order to produce electricity. Rest assured at SunPro Solar we only install the very best in solar tech. We have partnered with trusted reputable brands like LG, Sunpower, and Tesla.
Going solar may seem like a complicated decision, and to be truthful sometimes it can be. But here at SunPro Solar, we’ve been guiding homeowners on their solar journey for over a decade. With more than 2,000 installations all over Southern California, we have seen it all. We have completed solar projects large and small for our happy customers. If you have questions about your energy usage or solar in general, call or text us at 951-678-7733 and our Energy Experts will do our best to answer them.