How Many Solar Panels Do I Need to Power a 3 Bedroom House?

Find out how many solar panels you need for a 3 bedroom house with this guide. Learn about factors that affect solar panel efficiency and how to calculate how many solar panels you need.

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need to Power a 3 Bedroom House?

Are you wondering how many solar panels you need to power your 3 bedroom house? The answer depends on the size of your home, your energy consumption, and the average number of hours of sunlight you receive. Generally, an average 2,300 square foot 3-bedroom home requires between 20 and 24 solar panels to cover 100 percent of its electricity consumption. To calculate the exact number of solar panels you need, you can use the formula: size of the system divided by the production ratio, divided by the power of the panel. For example, a 6 kW system of 250 W panels will need 24 panels, while a 3 kW system will need 12 panels.

Solar panel systems in California are smaller than solar panel systems in Massachusetts, but they can produce the same amount of energy because they are exposed to more peak hours of sunlight each year. When it comes to choosing the right solar equipment for your home, investing in top-of-the-line solar equipment doesn't always result in greater savings on your utility bills. To find out how much roof space your solar system needs, simply multiply the number of panels you need by 17.55 square feet, which is the area of most residential solar panels sold today. Individual solar panels are capable of producing a certain amount of energy, depending on the conditions in your home (including the amount of sunlight you receive and the amount of shade your roof covers).

While those with a large roof can sacrifice some efficiency and buy larger panels to achieve ideal energy production, homeowners with a smaller roof should be able to use fewer small, high-efficiency panels, such as those from SunPower, LG, or REC, for optimal performance. Assuming your panels receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, you get about 250 watts x 6 hours of sunlight %3D 1.5 kWh of power per day, approximately 45 kWh per month and 540 kWh per year. So, if your state receives 150 peak hours of sunlight per month, 1 kW of solar energy will produce 150 kWh of electricity per month. Assuming your energy consumption is in line with the average of 29 kWh per day, you'll need 23 325-watt panels to generate enough electricity for your home.

If each room has a TV, bathroom and other electrical appliances, the house could need up to 25 panels of 300 W each. In recent years, while the dimensions of solar panels have remained more or less stable, energy production within the same area has increased dramatically. Additionally, some electric companies allow you to contract to sell excess energy to be fed back to the general grid, saving you even more money over time. To sum up, understanding the amount of electricity you consume in an average year, month and day is key to estimating the amount of solar panels you need for your 3 bedroom house. Homeowners in less sunny areas can compensate for this disparity simply by using more efficient panels or increasing the size of their solar energy system.

Ismael Slagter
Ismael Slagter

Amateur sushi practitioner. Extreme internet nerd. Incurable internetaholic. Proud zombie ninja. Total foodaholic. Incurable social media lover.