Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2018

What Time of Year is Best for Installing Solar?

If you’re like a lot of home or business owners who have been considering the possibility of installing solar power generation equipment on your property, you’ve probably started collecting information from installers or ‘energy consultants’. Maybe you’ve obtained a quote or estimate for what it might cost to have solar installed on your home or business, or maybe you’ve just been waiting for the right time to pull the trigger and start the project.

This last factor – timing – is becoming a common topic among our newest customers who are wondering if there is an ideal time to start a solar power installation project. The answer is a little more complicated than just yes or no, which is why we’re giving it proper treatment with its own blog post.

There are three factors that come into play when considering the timing of your solar project:

• Specials or incentives that may be offered by solar installers
• Tax deadlines
• The ‘seasonal’ solar effect

Let’s address each of these, one-by-one. First of all, when a solar installer tries to use sales gimmicks or ‘limited time specials’ to try and secure your business, it can sometimes be done for a strictly sales-related reason. That is to say, you may not actually end up saving money on an ‘act now!’ solar power promotion. However, there are deals to be had if you strike while the iron is hot.

As for tax deadlines…this is a legitimate concern for many home and business owners who want to receive a tax credit for the expense they’ll be incurring for the upgrade of their building. If you time your solar project so that you can claim the expense on current-year taxes, you’ll end up reducing your tax liability sooner than later. However, it may make more sense to wait until next year, if you’re anticipating getting into a different income scenario. It all varies according to your unique financial situation.

Lastly, there is a solar power installation ‘season’, and it’s generally in the late spring through mid-summer. If you can plan your solar power project around this, you can potentially save on time due to a quicker installation, but the cost isn’t likely to change much.

To learn more about how you can put the power of solar to work for you, contact Urban Solar today and inquire about a free energy assessment. We’re your go-to source for all things solar.