Solar Installation Process: What Homeowners Need to Know

Once you’ve decided to harness solar energy for your home’s power requirements to save money, live a greener life and increase dependence on renewable sources of energy, you’ve tackled the better half of your decision. However, generating energy from sunshine requires expert installation of your solar panels. This can be a complex process that entails designing the system's layout and acquiring the necessary permits and permission to connect to the grid.

Since solar panels are already a significant investment, you can’t afford to botch the installation because that will only lead to a further drained bank account and wasted time. At Future West Solar, we make solar simple, including transitioning from traditional energy sources to solar power. So, here’s everything you need to know about the solar installation process, from start to finish, as a homeowner in BC.

Solar installation process for your BC home

Step 1: Determining your energy usage
The first part of determining your usage will involve answering a few questions about your electricity usage and home’s orientation with the help of our ‘check your home’s eligibility’ form. Next, we need your most recent electricity bill and a 12-month energy report to prepare a custom home solar quote.

This will give us an idea of the number of solar panels your home would need to power your life, determine the optimum placement of the solar panels for maximum energy generation, and establish a technical plan for the wiring and installation of your solar system. Since these details will allow us to estimate your requirements accurately, they will then be factored into your custom home solar quote.

Step 2: Your custom solar system solution
In this step, we will use the world's leading software to model your home, its surroundings, and the hours of sunlight it receives with the best modelling software in North America. Most solar providers use 2D models, which aren’t accurate. Future West Solar uses LIDAR 3D irradiance modelling for perfect panel placement. This will also factor into your customized quote, which will be shared with you.

Our team will also come to your home and explain what your solar system will look like. This includes how much of your energy usage it will offset, your approximate payback period—the period by which your entire system is paid off, and you enjoy free energy for life—and total savings. We are happy to clarify all your doubts and provide you with the maximum support so you are confident in our solar plan for your Okanagan home.

Step 3: Exploring funding opportunities for your solar power in BC
After you approve our proposal, the next step is to explore any financial incentives and opportunities you can avail of to lighten the burden on your pocket. Future West Solar is always on the lookout for government grants, rebates, and loans that can lower your expenses, and we’ve got plenty of experience successfully securing these benefits to the advantage of homeowners. Our solar experts offer full-service consultation as an added value to you, and we've successfully helped 100s of clients in Kelowna and Chilliwack through this process, so you can rest assured that you’re in capable hands!

Step 4: Solar panel installation
It’s a date! Once your solar system is scheduled to be installed, all you have to do is get comfy and relax while we do the heavy lifting. Our experienced installers will work on getting your solar system up and generating solar power in as little time as possible—in most cases, this can be done in as little as 2-3 days! Don’t believe us? See for yourself what our happy customers experienced. After this, you’ll even have access to a mobile system to easily track your solar system's performance and energy generation in real time. From understanding your energy needs to the final installation of your solar system and post-installation support, we’ve got you covered with solar so simple that you’ll wish you started running on sunshine sooner.

Future West Solar is a full-service solar company, from assessing your home’s eligibility to expert installation and after-service care; we aren’t satisfied until you are. We don’t take shortcuts and will never leave you hanging, and that’s our promise. With world-class equipment and our talented team, you'll experience the smoothest process of running on sunshine. Feeling inspired? Contact us today!