There is no doubt that everybody likes to use a cleaner source of energy and that, by far, solar energy is the cheapest and cleanest source of alternative energy. However, many are worried about the cost involved in installing and maintaining solar panels.

This blog post is intended to give a rough idea about the approximate cost of installing solar panels at homes.

Solar Panels Are Maintenance Free

Those who have already set up solar installations at their homes know that solar panels need the least or no maintenance. To make the best use of sunlight, solar panels are mostly installed on house roofs. While fixing solar panels on the house roofs, people have to be exceptionally careful.

Whether the solar panels are built by yourself or you bought them readymade from the stores, you must follow the instructions very carefully while installing them on your roof. If you face any difficulty in setting up the solar panels, get professional help from a qualified solar energy technician.

But you know that calling in a professional to set your solar panels up will cost you more in terms of service charges. So, to reduce the cost of installing your solar panels, try to do it yourself. Working on the roof is not very safe. You may slip and fall and get hurt.

To avoid such an unpleasant incident, take a friend or a family member with you while you install your solar panels on your roof.

Your Initial Expenses

Your initial expenses relate to the parts and pieces you need to buy from the solar energy store. If you build the solar cells yourself, it will roughly cost you between $120 and $240.

Readymade solar cells will cost between $300 and $400. The amount of solar electricity produced depends on the number of solar cells. Adding a few more solar cells doesn’t cost you much.

But at the same time, increasing the number of solar cells will make three to four fold increase in the solar power produced. The cost of a very high powered solar panel is around $4,000. The choice of the solar cells depends on your budget and your energy needs.

Of course, you don’t need very expensive solar cells. What you need to do to get more energy is to increase the number of average sized solar cells which don’t cost very high. What makes solar energy so attractive is the fact that Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells are maintenance free once they are installed. They last for more than 20 years.

The efficiency of solar cells to convert sunlight into solar electricity may be affected if the solar panel is covered with dust and debris. If you clean the solar panels from time to time, the solar cells will remain as efficient as they were in the beginning.

Your initial investment in solar energy will be recovered within 9 years of installing solar panels at your home. Your electricity bill will be substantially reduced and there will be no bill at all if you are self-sufficient with the solar power you produce at your home.