Saving & Spending Home & Auto

9 Hidden Costs of Solar Panels That Nobody Really Talks About

Calculate these nine costs before adding solar panels to your house.

technicians installing heavy solar photo voltaic panels to high steel platform
Updated Sept. 24, 2024
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Solar panels can cost tens of thousands of dollars upfront, though the money they save you over a period of years may mean they eventually pay for themselves.  

However, if you’re trying to decide if solar panels are a smart money move, you need to consider more than just upfront costs. 

Here are some ongoing, hidden costs of solar panels you need to be aware of.

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More frequent yard maintenance

Кирилл Рыжов/Adobe woman with cutters in orchard

Some parts of your property might require more time and attention once you’ve added solar panels. For instance, adding solar panels could require you to remove tall trees from your yard or trim branches. 

Either way, once your panels are installed, you’ll probably have to do more, or at least more frequent, tree trimming than you did before.

Insurance

pololia/Adobe man in a hard hat standing on the steps of an old rundown house

If you’re already paying too much for home insurance, don’t expect that to change once you add solar. Solar panels usually bump up your homeowner's insurance premiums. 

Your state could also require you to get solar panel-specific insurance on top of your current insurance coverage.

Landscaping for ground panels

Andriy Blokhin/Adobe Ranchos de Taos valley green landscape in summer

Most homes aren’t landscaped with ground solar panels in mind. Along with installing the panels, you’ll need to rearrange the rest of your yard and garden to accommodate them.

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Utility company charges

nenetus/Adobe woman looking at bills and thinking about her problems

Solar panels should trim your utility bill, but oddly enough, those savings can come with a price. 

Keeping your home connected to the electrical grid costs money, so you should expect to receive a utility bill every month, even while using solar. Hopefully, that bill is around $80 less than what you were paying before going solar.

You could also encounter solar-specific charges from utility companies, like a charge for any instances when your solar panels drew electricity from the power grid instead of contributing to it.

Ongoing maintenance

tong2530/Adobe technician checks the maintenance of the solar panels on the roof

One of the most important things to consider before you go solar is how much time and money you can devote to keeping your panels up and running. 

While solar panel maintenance isn’t too complicated, some homeowner moves will include cleaning the panels frequently and making repairs as needed. 

And since solar panels can last decades, your maintenance costs will be ongoing for however long you use the panels.

Repairs

Zstock/Adobe solar panel technician with drill installing solar panels

Most solar panel systems shouldn’t require frequent repairs. But you’ll have your solar panels in place for up to 30 years, so expect to pay for at least a few repairs.

Repairing or replacing your roof

colorburst100/Adobe roofers removing old material from a house

Just as with panels installed in the ground, panels installed on the roof may require you to remodel the surrounding area. Depending on your roof’s age and condition, you could need to install an entirely new roof before adding solar panels. 

Finally, if a panel breaks in the future, you might need to cover roof repairs as well as the cost of repairing the panel.

Difficulty selling your house

Halfpoint/Adobe family looking at their house with installed solar panels

If you already need to make extra money to pay for solar panels, imagine the hit your wallet could take in the future if you can’t sell a house at the price you’d counted on.

In some parts of the country, solar panels could actually slow down the sale of a house instead of speeding it up.

Depending on your area, adding solar panels could add value to your house, which may mean you’ll be able to sell at a higher price. However, it’s hard to know for sure if your home’s solar panels will be seen as an asset or not. 

Cleaning

kanin/Adobe hand cleaning solar panels

To maximize your panels’ energy production, you need to keep them as clean as possible.

You might be able to clean the panels yourself, or you could pay a roofer to clean them instead. In both cases, add cleaning your solar panels as a constant recurring cost.

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Bottom line

bigy9950/Adobe people wearing helmets and safety vests

The amount of money you’ll save on solar panels depends on a few factors, including where you live. 

A solar calculator can help you figure out your exact savings over time. But don’t forget to consider your solar panels’ potential hidden costs as well so you can prepare yourself financially.

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Author Details

Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith has spent a decade writing for and about small businesses. She specializes in all things finance and has written for publications like G2 and SmallBizDaily. When she's not writing for work at her desk, you can usually find her writing for pleasure near large bodies of water.