I was thinking about putting solar panels on the roof of my lake house, but I was wondering if it actually makes economic sense considering installation costs and maintenance. Also, I'm not sure how long they last and whether it's still worth it after 10-15 years.
Modern panels easily last 25-30 years, so the whole 10-15 year thing is outdated already! Whether it's worth it really depends on how much sun your house roof gets at the lake and your area's energy costs, but generally speaking if you're there almost year-round it makes way more sense than for a place you only use on weekends. Tax incentives change all the time, so before you decide check what's currently available in your region because they can slash your upfront costs significantly!
The real problem nobody tells you about is shade! If your lakeside house has trees, nearby buildings, or mountains that cover your roof even just for half the day, all the financial calculations go out the window. I've seen people get excited, install everything, and then end up with pathetic returns because they didn't properly consider the sun's orientation throughout the entire year, not just in summer.
Before you spend any money, get a proper site survey done by whoever's installing it - someone who actually looks at the shading hour by hour and across all seasons, not just a quick sketch. That's the factor that makes the difference between a solid investment and a letdown.
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