The Best Solar Panel Placement for Great Curb Appeal

Every homeowner needs a way to raise their curb appeal if they’re hoping to sell their house in the future. Even if you have the most advanced technology installed inside your home, it won’t matter much if the outside isn’t much to look at.

Solar panels are a great option for your home for a number of different reasons, including curb appeal. The most important factor that pushes people to invest in one is their energy efficiency and how they lower your carbon footprint. However, the right solar panel placement can improve your home’s appearance and value.

Here’s what you need to know about solar panel installation and your options.

Solar Panels and Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is a big factor when it comes to real estate. The outside of your home provides the first impression for potential buyers. If they don’t like what they see on the outside, then it won’t provide much incentive to look further into the property.

Solar panel installation can make a big difference. In fact, the right panels can potentially increase your home’s value by as much as 4.1 percent. If your home is one of the only ones on the block with solar, then you’re going to stand out in a very good way.

It goes without saying that panels installed in your backyard won’t have too much of an effect. If a buyer can’t see the panels, it won’t factor into their first impression. As such, solar panel placement is something to consider when purchasing them.

Types of Solar Panels and How They Affect Placement

It’s important to know that not all solar panels can get the same kind of installation as others. The type you buy will affect solar panel orientation, including direction, angle, and how they appear on the home.

For example, polycrystalline solar panels are less energy efficient and take up more space. They’ll require a mount, as well.

Meanwhile, there are newer peel-and-stick panels that sit flush on your roof and are less than half the weight of conventional systems. The downside is that they require a slanted surface, preferably pointed toward the sun.

Solar Panel Placement Options

Most commonly, you’ll see solar panels installed on the roof of a house. However, they can go almost anywhere as long as you have space for them and line of sight with the sun. If sunlight doesn’t hit them, then they won’t work nearly as well as they should.

Roof-Mounted

In most cases, solar panels are installed on the roof of a house. This is done for a couple of reasons.

First, the roof of your house will most often have the best direct sunlight of anywhere else on your property. Since most roofs are already slanted, you may not require a complicated mount to get the best angle.

Second, not every home has the yard space to fit a solar panel array. There’s also the chance that you have some trees that block off some sunlight.

Since these are usually visible from the street, roof-mounted panels can greatly improve your home appearance.

Ground-Mounted

If you don’t have space on your roof for whatever reason or aren’t allowed to build on it, you can always get ground-mounted solar panels. These can go either in your front or back yard. All that matters is that they see the sun for the majority of the day.

They’re most often placed in the backyard, where they won’t negatively affect your curb appeal.

Pole-Mounted

In the absence of a large yard, there’s the option of a pole-mounted installation. One of the benefits of this type of solar panel is that it allows you more space on the ground. They can also get set up with sun tracking systems, so they move with the sunlight.

Pole-mounted installations are most often used in larger private properties or agricultural installations.

Solar Shade Awnings

Retail stores, schools, and other larger buildings may benefit from solar panel awnings. These are solar panels that double as awnings, which provide shade for windows while utilizing the sunlight for energy.

These can lend a unique appearance to a home with many windows, although not every homeowner enjoys how they look.

Garage Roof

Another option for homeowners who can’t utilize roof mounting is to install their system on a detached garage roof. You get all the benefits of normal roof mounting without needing to make any changes to the main structure. The only downside is that a smaller garage roof solar panel setup may not completely cover your energy bills.

You can expect this solar panel placement to improve your overall curb appeal without costing too much.

Building-Integrated

If you want minimal changes to your overall home appearance, you can always have the solar panels integrated into your roof. This involves using PV panels instead of normal roofing.

On the plus side, this allows for a very sleek appearance with all the benefits of a solar panel array. However, they may lack the efficiency of more conventional systems.

How to Install Solar Panels

Technically speaking, anyone can DIY a solar panel installation job to save money. However, there’s a lot of room for error and it could end up costing you more than it should.

Instead, take the time to reach out to your local solar company provider.

Blue Raven Solar company offers 18 months free with $0 down. You can request a custom quote today to learn more about your potential costs and savings.

Boost Your Home Value With Solar

The right solar panel placement on a home can dictate how much curb appeal your home gives off. Rooftop panels are fairly basic, but they get some of the best access to direct sunlight and add flair to your home. As for other placements, it’s important that your panels are somewhat visible from the road if you want them to impact your overall curb appeal. To find the best electric company with the cheapest electricity rates in Texas, you can visit HomeEnergyClub.

Take a look at some of our other articles if you’re interested in learning more about home exterior and interior design.