FAQs

A 4kw system will, on average, generate around 3,400 units (kWh) of electricity per year. On average, a UK household uses 3,200 units per year.

Every household is different and has different energy requirements, but it is estimated that the average UK household saves almost £1000 per year on average by using solar panels.

Even though it is ideal to have direct sunlight for maximum performance, solar panels are still able to produce electricity from indirect sunlight, so you don’t have to worry, even on cloudy days.

Solar Panels vary in efficiency so it depends on how much power you need. Domestic systems usually have 4kWp which is made up of 11-15 panels.

For homes, Panels are attached to the rails using specially designed clips which bolt onto the edges. Roofs can also be built entirely out of solar material and solar tiles that become part of your roof.

In the case of commercial roof the mounting solution varies according to the scenario.

Inverters change the DC (Direct Current) to AC (Alternating Current) for your home and the grid.

It is best to install your inverters in a cool place, such as a garage or a utility room. While installing your inverter in a loft is much easier, your loft can get hot, especially on sunny days when you want your inverter to work the most.

Keeping your inverter in a cool room will increase production and the life of your inverter.

Your inverter can monitor the voltage that is produced by the grid, and will put power into your system at a slightly higher voltage compared to your grid. When an electric appliance is switched on, if your inverter produces a higher voltage, the power from the panels will be used first.

Any excess energy is sold back to the grid.

Wood burners and heat pumps are common in UK households that also have PV panels.

Heat pumps which are energy-efficient alternatives to furnaces and air conditioners.

Wood burners use wood as fuel, which compared to gas and electric heaters, is a much more eco-friendly way of producing energy for cooking and heating.

PV panels are made to last more than 25 years. The output of a PV panel falls by about around 0.8% each year, so at 25 years  they are likely to be operating at 80% or more.

At Solar Serve we will help you decide which solar panel will fit your home the best.

You can also calculate an estimate of how many panels you will need, by multiplying your home’s hourly energy requirement by the peak sunlight hours for your area and dividing that by a panel’s wattage.

No, an EPC is no longer needed for any property with a PV installation.

No, we will take care of it. At Solar Serve we are accredited to notify all our work to Building Control

AT Solar Serve we have our own qualified tradesmen that will take care of the whole process.

Home installations can take up to two days. 

Commercial installation may take longer, depending on the size of the site and specific requirements.

Feed In Tariff (FIT) is a policy through which your electric supplier will pay you for every unit that your system generates, whether you used it or it went back into the grid.

This policy no longer exists as Solar PV installation is now cheaper and there is no need for a Government subsidy.

Since March 2019, this policy no longer exists as Solar PV installation is now cheaper and there is no need for a Government subsidy.

Since the Feed in Tariff (FIT) ended in 2019, there have been no other government schemes. But according to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you will get paid back for every unit you send back to the grid.

You will be saving on your bills immediately. It depends on  few variables such as quality, local weather conditions, shade and orientation. But on average the payback periods are of 6-10 years.

Shade can reduce the power output of your solar panels and shadow being cast on just one solar panel can cause a compromise to the output of the whole system. This is to be taken into account if you have a chimney for example.

Solar Panels do not require planning permission, as they fall under “permitted development”.

While I south facing roof may receive more sun, it is not aa necessity for a productive PV solar panel system.

You should first discuss this with your landlord.

No, there is currently no PV panel mounting system for thatched houses. An alternative is to have the solar PV system ground mounted.

Yes, PV solar panels can be installed on loft conversions.

While there are advances when it comes to solar panels, these are mostly regarding the use of different materials and are not related to improving efficiency.

Todays technology is the same that was used in the early 70s, so apart from small incremental advances you should not expect any huge changes in the technology.

Most panels on the market have diodes, which while they do help stop the effects of shading they don’t prevent them completely.

Monocrystalline panels do provide more power per square meter, there are also other factors that affect the quality of your panels.

They are ideal if you have a limited space to install your solar panel system.

For safety reasons, your inverter will have to shut down. There are battery storage systems which allow you to keep back up power just in case there is a power cut.