It is undeniable that it is becoming more and more profitable to use solar energy as a renewable energy source. As a homeowner, you are likely always looking for ways to improve the value of your property and reduce your expenses. If you are looking for a way to do exactly that and save money every month, installing a residential solar panel system may be the answer you are looking for.

In doing so, keep in mind there’s a lot to consider if you are thinking about installing solar panels to power your home. Apart from how many panels you’ll need, how much power each panel can produce, how well they’ll work with your rooftop, and what size system you’ll need to offset your utility usage, you’ll also want to consider the best direction to face your solar panels.

Whether the system is mounted on the roof, carport, or ground, the direction your solar panels face will play a major factor in how much energy your solar panels actually produce. In this blog, we’ll discuss the best direction to position your solar panels for maximum production and maximum savings.

South-Facing Solar Panels

A south-facing roof is traditionally the best position to face your solar panels. Why is this? As Earth completes its yearly orbit around the sun and for those who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is always along the southern part of the sky. Because of this, it’s always best to position the solar panels facing south in order to capture the most amount of sunlight.

This doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from a rooftop solar system if you don’t have a south-facing roof. On the contrary, solar panels will in fact produce enough electricity to save you money on your utility bills even if they’re positioned in other directions. In this case, however, you may need to invest in a few more panels, especially if you plan to offset your utility usage and power your entire property using solar.

West-Facing Solar Panels

If you live in an area that charges a higher rate in the late afternoon or early evening hours, it might be more sensible to face your panels west instead of south, as long as your rooftop allows this. The advantage here is that while the sun will be heading toward the western horizon to set, you’ll be producing your own solar energy while avoiding the need to pull that energy from the grid. This means you won’t be charged the higher utility rate during those peak hours, which happens to be the time of day homeowners are home from work and are more likely to do laundry, run the dishwasher, turn on the lights, watch television, and even crank down the AC for those who live in a warmer climate.

Are North-Facing Solar Panels Beneficial?

If you have a north-facing roof, you might think that solar just isn’t going to work for your home. Although a north-facing roof is not optimal for a residential solar system, you still have some options. These options may, however, produce some challenges to work around, but there are a few alternatives available to go solar despite having a south, west, or even an east-facing roof.

If you have a north-facing roof, it is possible to mount solar panels so that they oppose the slant of your roof, but they may not be as aesthetically pleasing as they won’t sit flush. Generally speaking, this isn’t the best solution for the production of solar energy nor a normal practice for installers since these panels won’t yield much energy and can also create a hazardous liability. You also need to add more panels to compensate for energy losses, and even then, it’s unlikely that you could produce enough solar energy to make it a worthwhile option.

A ground-mounted solar panel system may be the best alternative to a non-optimal roof, which can help overcome some of the limitations presented by a roof-mount solar system. This alternative is an excellent option for homeowners who don’t have the better options we spoke about earlier but have some open, unused, and unshaded yard space to use.

Take the time to talk to a professional solar sales and installation company about the best direction for your solar panel system.

Going Solar doesn’t have to be a hard decision. At SUNSOLAR SOLUTIONS, we are here to help. The very foundation of our company is built on customer education, honesty, integrity, and transparency, with a high emphasis on ensuring homeowners understand the varying aspects of their solar project. From start to finish, you’ll always be informed every step of the way.

Give us a call today at 602-773-6675 for a free quote; click the link below.


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