Our guide takes you through the process of professionally installing solar panels.
Despite the UK not exactly known for its regular sun, solar panels are becoming increasingly more popular for many households. The many benefits included using solar power over alternatives is what is driving people to choose the sustainable energy source.
When it comes to installing the panels, there is a process that needs to be followed in order to get the most from them, otherwise, you may find yourself not getting the maximum capacity. And that would be the least of your problems.
We're answering the question ‘How are solar panels installed?' by bringing you a thorough guide that explores the installation process.
First things first, this guide isn't intended to be a proper ‘how to' guide that you should follow if you're planning on installing your own solar panels.
We do not advise installing your own solar panels unless you already have prior experience and/or are a professional, qualified installer.
There are many things to assess and work out before your solar panels can be installed, with the first step being understanding the local regulations and ensuring you obtain planning permission if needed.
Planning permission isn't always needed, although it will be for certain properties such as listed buildings, properties in conservation areas and flats.
The reasoning behind planning permission for these types of buildings is to do with the panels not negatively impacting the appearance or functionality of the surrounding area.
The best practice before properly beginning any of the following steps is to check with your local planning authority to confirm whether or not permission will be needed.
Once you have checked if planning permission is needed, you'll want to assess your average power consumption to figure out how many panels you will need to set up your solar panel system.
You can estimate your energy needs based on how many rooms are in your house as there are figures out there that show a UK average power consumption for houses with certain amounts of rooms.
Every home is different though, so you'll want to also think about the things that have the most electricity consumption in the house. For example, if you or any kids regularly play video games or have many electrical appliances that are used often. You'd be surprised how much they all add up, even the little things.
The key is to have more solar panels that will give a much higher amount of power than needed, just to be sure.
There are four main types of solar panels, each having its own make-up and characteristics which means they each have a varying level of efficiency.
Efficiency equates to how much power the panel is capable of producing. If a panel has 10% efficiency, then it is capable of converting 10% of the sunlight that hits it into electricity. So what you're looking for is panels with higher efficiency.
The four types of solar panels and their efficiency ranges are:
Unsurprisingly, the more efficient panels come at a higher price point when purchasing, so part of your decision may come down to how much you want to spend.
Using more efficient solar panel types may look more expensive on paper, but you won't need to purchase as many panels as if you opted for less efficient panels, where you might need more panels to suit your needs.
Monocrystalline panels are typically used for residential houses as they have the best cost-to-efficiency. Polycrystalline panels, while being around one-third less efficient, are cheaper so they are a good option, while on the flip side, PERC panels are the most costly but come with the highest efficiency. If you want to know more about the different types of panels, check out our other guide: how do solar panels work?
Solar panel efficiency relates to the power output, meaning how much electricity is being produced. Higher efficiency means more power, so again you can look at what you're willing to pay.
While the lower efficiency panels come out cheaper and thus may look a more attractive option, you'd need more of those panels to get the same power output as the higher efficiency ones.
We outlined further above roughly how much power is needed for different household sizes, so now it's important to know how much power you could be getting from the different panels.
Typically, panels range from between 350W to 450W daily, with the less efficient panels being on the former end and the more efficient the latter.
With that knowledge, you can begin to work out how many panels you'll need for your solar panel system to power your property. We'll give an estimated table here using the figures from earlier for average power consumption by household size:
| Household Size | Average Annual Electricity Consumption | Estimated Solar Panel System Size (350W) | Estimated Solar Panel System Size (450W) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 bedrooms | 1800kWh | 5 – 8 | 4 – 6 |
| 2-3 bedrooms | 2700kWh | 10 – 13 | 8 – 10 |
| 4-5 bedrooms | 4100kWh | 16 | 13 |
Successful solar panel installation requires specific materials and tools to ensure everything is set up efficiently and safely.
The solar panels must be assembled into systems and onto a structure. These are the parts that need calculated planning to ensure maximum efficiency as it's not exactly the easiest task to rearrange everything once the panels are on.
Once everything is planned out, you'll want to get the specific materials and tools needed for installation. This includes the solar panels themselves, as well as mounting hardware such as racks or brackets to secure the panels on your roof, and inverters to convert the solar energy from direct current (DC) to useable alternating current (AC).
You'll also need a lot of electrical wiring and junction boxes for the connection of everything - another reason why getting a qualified professional to do it is your smartest option as ensuring all wires are installed safely and correctly is possibly the most key part.
In terms of tools, a basic toolkit should include a drill, screwdrivers, wire strippers, and a wrench set. A voltmeter is essential for checking electrical connections, while a stud finder can help locate rafters for secure mounting of the panels.
And then there's safety equipment, which shouldn't need explaining as it is working on the roof of a property.
Gloves, safety goggles and a hard hat would be good options, but most importantly fall safety equipment like harnesses and ropes. Mistakes can happen and ones made from a roof high up can be catastrophic.
We've looked at the things that need to be considered and will be needed for proper installation, so now let's put all that together and look at the full installation process.
Once again, this is not a proper step-by-step to be used for DIY installation. We're just outlining the process which the professional installers would take when doing it.
The first step is checking and understanding the local regulations for installation, as well as obtaining planning permission if needed.
The best way to ensure you are doing things properly is to contact your local planning authority, who will likely give you a full rundown of everything and may even want to come out to check your property's suitability.
This goes somewhat hand in hand with the previous step, but now it is more about proper assessment of the property and mainly the roof's structural integrity as well as evaluating the sunlight exposure.
Once it is squared away that the roof can safely hold the panels and that there is adequate sunlight for as close to maximum efficiency as possible, you can move to the next step.
With the assessment done, you can begin planning it all out, starting with choosing which types of panels you want to go with.
Once you have chosen the panel type, you can figure out how many you need by looking at your annual energy consumption from around the last few years to get a good picture of your usage.
After the panels and amount have been chosen, it's time to design the layout, picking out the ideal spot to place the panels to ensure maximum efficiency. This means they're able to face the right way, with no coverage and no potential future coverage, and not against the local regulations.
Technically, the first step with mounting is setting up the scaffolding around the house to be able to safely get up to and down from the roof. This isn't needed though if the panels aren't being installed on the roof, which they don't always need to be.
Now it's on to installing the panels, starting with mounting the brackets and racks that the panels will sit on.
It is important to get this spot on as you will have (or should have) planned it all out perfectly so that the panels can achieve maximum efficiency. If they're off or not exactly as planned, it may yield unexpected results.
After the panels are installed and mounted properly and to plan, it's time to wire it all up with the electrical connections.
This is a somewhat delicate job and actually has two ways of being installed - in parallel or in series.
Installing them in parallel will mean the panels' output voltages will remain the same and their output current will be a sum of all the parts, while it is the reverse for in series. The installing engineer would be able to assess which is right for your needs.
This step is very technical and is quite possibly the most important part of the installation, which is why we say that the full installation, not just this part alone, should be carried out by a qualified installer (or a team of installers).
We'll also include in this step the installation and wiring of the inverter and battery (if you're not connecting your panels to the local grid).
The hard part is now done and the installation is complete. But before everything is packed away, you'll need to test it all to ensure the panels are working properly.
Simply power it all on and see if the process has been a success. If so, then it is all set up and you're good to go!
This step only applies to those who have chosen a grid-tied system. There are three solar panel systems to choose from:
A grid-tied system is the most common type, where the home is connected to the grid so it can contribute and use electricity from the utility to ensure there is always power. This is most common and popular because it means you don't have to worry as much as you're not on your own, meaning you can have fewer panels because the grid is there to support you.
The off-grid system is where a solar battery comes in, as with this system you are on your own. All electricity generated is stored on-site and used by you and only you, so you'll want to make sure you're able to supply yourself with more than enough electricity for the darker days. If you've gone with this system, you won't need this step.
Finally, a hybrid system is a mix of the two. A solar battery will be installed to reserve energy for later consumption, but the property is also connected to the grid.
Proper maintenance is needed to ensure maximum efficiency is being achieved all year round. The panels themselves do degrade naturally over time, albeit at a very slow rate - on average around 1% a year.
Solar panels are designed to last between 20 - 30 years; however, that figure can differ depending on the quality of the panel and if proper care is being taken to maintain them.
Leaves, bird droppings and other debris can and likely will end up falling on the panels and can affect the efficiency if not taken care of.
It is recommended that your solar panels should be cleaned and serviced annually. Again, like with installation, this is something that should be conducted by a professional, as they can ensure a thorough servicing to get the panels back to their maximum efficiency.
Installing the solar panels usually takes around two days, although this can be more or less depending on certain factors.
That estimate is for the actual installation part, but the first two steps may take a bit more time. If planning permission is needed, then that may be out of your hands as to how long it will be until someone comes out to assess the property and grant permission. However, as we mentioned, it's not always needed.
As for assessment, that can be carried out by the installers, as can the rest of the process.
The longest part will be the scaffolding, although that is only needed if the panels are being installed on the roof. If not, the process would take even less time.
Yes, you can, although like we've said throughout this guide, we wouldn't recommend it unless you are a fully qualified professional installer already.
With everything that goes into installation to ensure it is all done correctly and safely, it is advisable to not do it yourself and have professionals carry it out instead.
The lifespan of solar panels is between 20-30 years, although some high-end well-made panels may even reach up to 40 years.
Proper maintenance and regular servicing would be needed to ensure a longer life expectancy.
Yes, in short, solar panels can increase home value. Although the long answer has more to it.
With our fast, free and fully personalised quotation you'll see how much your household could save by going solar.