How Many Solar Panels are Needed to Power a House?

Solar panels are a smart investment for townhome owners. It can help you save lots of money on your energy bill and increase the value of your property immensely, should you ever sell it. To reap all the benefits of solar panels, the first step is to figure out one crucial detail: the correct number of solar panels needed to power your house.

The first and foremost thing that you should learn is that there’s no definite answer to this
question. The number of solar panels will completely depend on your needs and goals. How
much electrical energy do you use? How many solar panels can the surface of your roof hold?
What are the climate conditions like in your area? All these are questions that could analyze your needs. You need to sit down and analyze these numbers carefully before making any further investments that require decision-making.

How Much Electricity Will You Consume?

If we talk about America, the average American household consumes around 897 kWh per
month. That’s 30 kWh daily, or 1.25kW per hour. Of course, you could consume more than the
average (or less) depending on how big your house is, how many people live in it, the type of appliances you have, your lifestyle, and your beliefs.

The best way to determine how much electrical power you’ll need is to look at your electricity bill and try to determine the average consumption rate. Take that number and divide it by 12 to find out your average monthly energy expenditure, or by 365 to reveal your actual daily usage.

Solar Panel Efficiency
It’s important to note that solar panels don’t always work at maximum efficiency. For example, there can be times you won’t get enough sunlight to generate all the electricity you need to power your household. That’s why experts recommend adding a 25% margin to your daily target to ensure that you won’t be left in the dark for long. In other words, if your expected daily average electricity consumption is 30kWh, you should target a total output of 37.5kWh for your solar panel approximately.

Solar panels come in great variety, they have many options specifically in a wide range of
wattages, from 100W to 370W per panel. This variable will also affect the number of panels
needed in the end. For a typical American home, ideally, you’re going to need 25 conventional
250W solar panels.

Keep in mind that your house’s usable roof surface can also affect your system’s efficiency. If
your roof is unusually shaped or if it’s partially shaded, you’re going to need to invest in smaller, high-efficiency panels. On the other hand, if your house is oriented properly and has a wide usable roof surface, then you can settle for cheaper, conventional panels.

Conclusion
If your electrical costs add up to say, for example, $100 per month, you’re probably going to
need close to 17 standard solar panels to power your home. But the final answer to the question depends on factors like your geographical location, your panels’ wattage, and overall quality, your home’s orientation, and several other factors.
At me construction Homes you can find numerous townhomes that have high-quality solar
systems already installed, thus saving yourself from the stress of planning and building a solar system from scratch.