Solar panels on red roof at dusk
Are solar panels ugly? 4 Reasons Solar Is the Hot New Look
By Peter Sutrin, Electrician
Published August 7, 2020

Do you remember the first time you saw a solar system on a roof? Or maybe it was a solar hot water tank perched on a house as you drove by. 

While seeing solar was once a novel experience, these days it’s much more common. You probably see it in passing, without even noticing. Driving down your street, you may notice that as many as every second or third house has solar, depending on your suburb. 

The mere-exposure effect is the name given to a psychological phenomenon by which people begin to develop a preference for something, merely because they are familiar with it. 

There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your home and being concerned about the picture it presents to the big wide world. Twenty years or even ten years ago, solar may have been seen as ugly, but things have changed rapidly as the solar sector has boomed. Both residential and commercial buildings now boast solar at a rapidly increasing rate. 

In 2019, Toowoomba had an estimated 9300 solar systems, and that number is growing exponentially. 

 

4 Reasons Solar Is Now the Hottest Look on the Block

  • Sleek and black, solar panels have come a long way in style and add to your property’s design, instead of taking away from it. 
  • Even older and Heritage listed homes are making the move to save on power.
  • Even solar panels come in a variety of styles, including black or silver racking and black or white backing.
  • Solar is an investment, so many homeowners now choose it as a way to increase their property value when they go to market. 

 

When choosing a solar installer, it’s also important to ensure you choose a reputable company that will offer care about both the quality of your solar system, as well as make sure it suits your home aesthetically. 

Selling your house? Solar not only adds to your property value, but having a reputable and well known solar installer’s branding on your system can increase buyer trust and willingness to purchase. 

In future, we may see solar in other colours than the standard black and blue, with products like Sistine Solar‘s Solar Skin adding aesthetic designs customised to any colour and style, with minimal impact on solar production.

If you’re still not sure the solar look is right for your home, there are still ways to minimise the visual impact. Your solar can be installed on a section of your roof that isn’t facing the road, on a shed, or on a ground mount in your yard.  If you want to see the types of solar panels that are available, get in touch and we’ll walk you through the options and give you an obligation free quote.