Choosing the right solar panels and system type for your North Walsham home means understanding what the options actually are and what each one costs you in the short and long term.
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Before any conversation about panel brands or system sizes makes sense, the roof needs to be fit for purpose. A solar array fixed to a roof with deteriorating flashings or loose ridge tiles will cause problems within a few years, and removing panels to carry out roof repairs is a disruptive and expensive business. A good installer assesses the roof before anything else and carries out any necessary preparation as part of the job.
Once we know the roof is sound, the next decisions are about what type of system to install and which components represent the best value for your particular situation. There are genuine differences between the options, and the right answer depends on your roof, your household and your budget.
Most domestic solar panels sold in the UK today are monocrystalline silicon panels. They're efficient, reliable and competitively priced. The differences that matter in practice come down to efficiency rating, physical size and the quality of the cell manufacturing.
Monocrystalline panels are made from a single crystal of silicon and are the most efficient type widely available. A higher-efficiency panel produces more electricity per square metre, which matters when your available roof area is limited. Efficiency ratings for quality monocrystalline panels typically run from around 20% to 23%. Higher is better, but the price per panel rises with efficiency.
Polycrystalline panels are made from multiple silicon crystals and are slightly less efficient but generally cheaper. They're becoming less common as monocrystalline prices have fallen, and for most domestic roofs monocrystalline is now the better choice unless budget is the overriding concern.
Half-cut cell panels are a refinement within both types. The cells are cut in half, which reduces resistive losses and means the panel performs better in partial shade. On a roof where parts may be shaded at certain times of day, half-cut cell panels are worth considering.
The inverter converts the direct current (DC) electricity your panels produce into alternating current (AC) that the house and grid can use. It's one of the most important components in the system and one of the most overlooked when people are comparing quotes.
The right inverter type for your North Walsham roof depends on its layout, pitch and whether any shading is present. There's no single answer that's right for every installation.
Battery storage is worth discussing separately because it has a significant effect on the overall cost and the financial return of the system. A battery stores electricity generated during the day for use in the evening and overnight, when the panels aren't producing. This increases the proportion of your own generation that you actually use, rather than exporting to the grid at low rates and buying it back expensively.
The case for battery storage:
The case against, or for waiting:
We'll give you an honest assessment of whether battery storage makes sense for your household pattern. If it doesn't, we'll say so.
If you already have an electric vehicle or are considering one, the interaction with a solar system is worth planning from the start. A solar-linked EV charger can be set to charge the car from solar generation rather than the grid, which is where the saving is most dramatic. Similarly, if you're considering a heat pump, the sizing of the solar system can take that additional load into account. It's much easier to design for this upfront than to retrofit it later.
For a typical domestic installation of 10 to 12 panels on a standard detached or semi-detached house, current installed prices in the UK run from approximately £5,000 to £9,000, depending on panel and inverter specification, roof complexity and scaffolding requirements. Adding battery storage brings the range to roughly £7,500 to £14,000 for a complete system with good-capacity storage.
Cheaper quotes tend to reflect cheaper components, simpler inverter setups or less care taken over the roof preparation and fixing details. Paying less upfront for a system that underperforms or causes roof problems is a false economy over a 20-year lifespan.
Any electricity your panels produce that isn't being used in the house at that moment is exported to the grid automatically. Under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), energy suppliers pay a rate for that exported electricity. The rate is set by the supplier and varies - some offer considerably more than others, so it's worth checking current tariffs when the system is commissioned. If you have battery storage, the surplus charges the battery first and is only exported once the battery is full.
Maximising self-consumption - running loads during daylight hours when the panels are producing - is the most reliable way to make the numbers work. Smart home controls and time-of-use tariffs can help with this.
The panels sit on aluminium rails, which are fixed to the roof structure using purpose-made brackets. Each bracket passes through the roof covering and is made weathertight using a flashing kit matched to the tile or slate profile. This is not a generic process - the flashing kit needs to suit the specific tile, and the bracket positions need to land on rafters. Done correctly, the fixings add no meaningful risk of leaks. Done badly, they are a reliable source of them.
The bracket positions are checked against the rafter layout, each flashing is seated properly before the next tile goes back, and the finished installation should be inspected before scaffolding comes down.
For solar panel installation in North Walsham, or for a straightforward conversation about which system suits your roof and household, call Aylsham Roofers and we'll arrange a survey at a time that suits you.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
