Property Suitability
Is My Property Suitable for Solar Panels?
Up to 90% of properties in the UK are suitable for Solar Hot Water Systems, but the following simple guidelines will need to be followed to ensure you reap the rewards that solar can provide.
Whether your property is suitable depends on the following factors. Most important is the direction or orientation of your roof where the solar panels will be located, and whether or not the roof is in the shade. Nearly all properties are suitable, you just might have to have an extra collector or two to maximise the systems output.
External
For maximum efficiency, solar panel collectors should be mounted on a south facing roof at a 30° angle with the horizontal and away from any shadows from trees, surrounding buildings or chimneys. Approximately 3-5m² will be required to mount the panels. If your roof faces southeast or southwest you’ll still get good coverage, but you may need to add one extra collector for maximum efficiency. The vacuum tubes can withstand temperatures of minus 18˚C.
Internal
Solar installations don’t just stop at the roof, the hot water that is provided by the collectors needs pumping back through the house into a hot water cylinder ready for use. Therefore you will need to ensure that your property has the facilities to cater for a new hot water cylinder. This can be where ever you have the space, whether it’s in your loft, or an old cupboard in the kitchen.
Combi Boilers
Home-owners who have recently had a Combi-boiler installed to their property can still utilise Solar Hot Water, as Homesmart provide a valve that allows the two systems to work together. The valve in its simplest form..
Solar Panels Planning Permission
Planning permission rules and regulations for solar panels were relaxed in 2008, to encourage more home-owners into renewable forms of energy.
Therefore most homes in the UK can benefit from Solar Energy. The basic rules for the installation of Homesmart Solar Panels are as follows:
All solar installations should follow the recommendations below:
- Solar Panels on a building should be sited to minimise the effect on the appearance of the building and to minimise the effect on the amenity of the area.
- Solar Panels should not be installed above the ridgeline and should project no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface.
- If your property is a listed building, installation is likely to require an application for listed building consent, even where planning permission is not needed.
- If your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site planning consent is required when panels are to be fitted on the principal or side elevation walls and they are visible from the highway. If panels are to be fitted to a building in your garden or grounds they should not be visible from the highway.
For a more detailed overview please ask your installer, or visit the Planning Portal.