DIY Solar Panels - Are They an Option for Your Home?

Learn what is involved in building a solar panel and whether you want to consider this as an affordable solar energy option!

Understanding the basics of solar panels will go a long way towards clearing up any misconceptions you may have about whether you may be able to install and maintain home solar panels yourself.

Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic cells. For people who are tired of paying high prices for conventional electricity, solar panels offer an affordable alternative that is worth investigating.

With current technology, it is now possible to make homemade solar cells, and with new and rapidly advancing technological advances, you can also install DIY solar panels in your home at a fraction of the cost that it would take to hire someone else to do it.

How Home Solar Panels Work

Solar panels are a collection of photovoltaic cells, which are an environmentally friendly power source that uses the sun's energy. When working at peak efficiency, solar panels are able to maintain high levels of energy production that can be maintained for much of the day, or as long as the sun is visible.

Most solar systems operate best when temperatures are moderate rather than excessively hot, however they will still work in more extreme climates.

Solar panels are generally roof mounted, and are best installed on a mount that is a special stand-alone chassis. The core components of solar panels work best when they are placed in areas that get the most sunlight. More sunlight naturally translates into more energy production.

Benefits of DIY Solar Panels

There are many do it yourself solar panel kits that are being marketed at affordable prices. If you are at all handy, these kits come with good directions, all the materials you need, and they offer a way to save significant money over having your solar panels professionally installed.

What is great about having home solar panels is that, in many locations, if you generate more energy than you need, you can sell it back to the energy company, thus lowering your utility bills. This has become a very popular way to avoid paying sky-high electric bills while helping the environment at the same time.

Installing Solar Panels

DIY solar panels are relatively simple to install, but it is not a one-person job. You will need some help, and you will also need framing and wiring so you'll probably need a truck to haul your materials.

If you don't own a truck, add a truck rental to your expense calculations for the overall installation costs. After finding a stable platform on which to build, you can easily use a solar panel kit to quickly construct an endless power supply for your home.

When you install your solar panels you will need to apply for a home improvement permit, which you can get from your local municipality. You will also need to ask your local electric company to install a net-metering program. Installation requires you to find the rafters underneath your roofing, to install tracks along the rafters.

This will give you a very stable base on which you can secure your solar panels. Most solar panel kits, which you will attach, usually sell for about $500 and are relatively simple to install.

More and more people are using "do it yourself" solar panels to offset the high energy costs, and to work towards reducing their energy usage. This is yet another way that you can have affordable solar power in your home!

Benefits of DIY Solar Installation

• Cost comparison will show that installing the panels yourself could save you several hundred dollars per panel
• Can customize the panel size and configuration to meet your specific roof line design
• Quality is ensured since you are doing the work yourself
• Excellent family project to work together and raise environmental awareness
• Encourage your neighbors to go green with you as they see your example
• Freedom to choose materials that best fit your climate and preferences

DIY Solar Panels Guide

One of the best of the online "do it yourself" solar guides I've found is Green DIY Energy which provides not only manuals and videos but personalized support as well. It's a real advantage for do-it-yourself homeowners to be able to talk through any issues that might arise with a real live person who knows the product and the technology.

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