Frequently Asked Questions

Solar PV has never been more affordable. The cost of your solar installation will depend on the amount of electricity you consume, your electrical consumption habits, how much of your consumption you can offset and the structure and type of roof you have. To find out which system is suitable for your home, get in contact with us today!

Most domestic Solar Panel installations take no more than a day with minimum disruption. The majority of the work will typically take place on the roof, in your attic and at your fuse board. Our skilled team of fully qualified roofers will install the mounting system on the roof, then the panels to the mounting system. Our Electricians will then connect the cables from the panels to the shutdown device, from here the cables are wired to the inverter, where the power is transformed from DC into AC. At this point, the A/C power is then fed to your Fuseboard. 

The SEAI is offering a solar grant of up to €2,400 towards the installation of solar PV panels. The grant is available to all owners of dwellings built and occupied before December 2020 and where the SEAI have not previously provided support for solar PV system at that address.

Each solar panel that is installed can save up to 100kg of CO2 per year.  This reduces our emissions from using electricity and makes a big difference to the environment.

It also “offsets” the carbon produced from activities such as air travel.

When you install a solar energy system on your property, you save money on your electricity bills and protect yourself against rising electricity rates in the future. How much you can save depends on the utility rates and you maximising the use of your panels directly into your home, but going solar is a smart investment regardless of where you live. It also increases the BER rating of your home, which in turn can potentially increase the value of your home.

Studies have shown that homes with solar energy systems sell for more than homes without them. In most parts of the country, going solar will actually increase your property value more than a kitchen renovation.

Your Solar PV will generate power even on days when the sun is not shining. Solar PV panels work of solar radiance so even on cloudy days they will still produce electricity. On days where we have clear blue skies, PV panels will produce more but when sizing a system we take cloudy days and your orientation into account to ensure maximum efficiency.

When you install solar panels on your property, you will still be connected to the grid. This allows you to draw from the grid when your system is not producing all of the power that you need and send power back to the grid when you produce more than you use. It is possible to go off the grid with a solar energy system that includes battery storage.

If your solar panel system is connected to the grid, it will shut off in the event of a blackout. This is to prevent emergency responders and electricity utility repair-people from being injured by your panels sending power back to the grid. However, there are certain inverters you can buy that provide backup power in a blackout when paired with a battery. If you wish to go this route a switch over device must be fitted and there is extra wiring involved. The cost of this will vary from home to home.

In general, solar panels are very durable and capable of withstanding snow, wind, and hail. The various components of your solar power system will need to be replaced at different times, but your system should continue to generate electricity for 25 to 35 years.

The main components are the solar panels which will be located on the roof area, and the inverter which will be located within your house or attic. The solar panels convert the light into DC electricity, and the inverter converts this DC electricity into AC electricity for use in your home. The solar system will be connected to your main electrical panel (‘fuse board). Other optional components are an immersion diverter switch, battery storage, energy meters and solar compatible car chargers 

There are several well-proven solutions to connect solar panels to your roof. Most solutions fix the solar panels above the existing roof tiles on aluminium rails, but some solutions allow for an integrated, ‘flush’, a connection where the roof tiles are removed and replaced with the solar panels. The most important consideration for homeowners is that the water-tightness of your roof is not affected by the installation. Installers should not be permitted to drill into roof tiles to connect the PV panels, as this could lead to future leaks in your roof. We typically use a flashing called a genius flashing on slate rooves to ensure the integrity of the roof is not affected by the installation of solar PV panels.

PV systems are low-maintenance, but not zero maintenance. The most important aspect is to monitor the performance of your system regularly. This could simply be a routine check of your inverter to see that the system is operational (e.g. no red blinking lights) and that the energy meter is increasing each day. You should get an idea from your installer about how much the PV system should generate each year, and see that your system is generating close to that amount. Some suppliers will provide you with access to this information via your smartphone. The most common point of failure is the inverter, which may need to be replaced at some point in the PV system’s lifetime. The solar panels themselves are extremely robust, but consideration should be given to cleaning them every few years to maintain their performance. If you live near the sea or the main road more regular cleaning may be necessary.