What You Need to Know Before You Install
Just like any tradesperson – solar installers have guidelines to follow when installing your solar PV system or battery storage. While it’s your installers job to ensure everything is up to scratch and meeting UK building regulations, you might want to be aware of what they are doing and why.
At SolarTherm UK, all of our installs meet UK building standards and we only use the highest quality equipment and all our installers are fully qualified.
What are Building Regulations for Solar Panels?
The term building regulations covers a wide range of work on your property – replacement of windows and doors, extending the property, connected electrics and roof coverings, amongst others. Solar panel installation falls into this category.
The main parts of the Building Regulations that concern solar panel installation is Part A: Structure, Part P: Electrical Safety and Part F: Ventilation.
Part A: Structural Safety
Part A outlines how installers must assess the suitability of your roof and whether it will weight bear your solar panels for up to 40 years. UK roofs are designed to hold much more than this so installers are looking more for any damage to your roof or deterioration that will prevent the installation being carried out without repairs or replacement first.
Part P: Electrical Safety
Part P electrical safety ensures that your installation is fire safe and protected against electrical faults. It makes sure that appropriate fuses and circuit breakers are installed to reduce overvoltage and that the solar panel system is isolated from your mains electricity for safety in the case of future work. Part P electrical safety also ensures that all cables and wiring is UK approved and meets safety standards.
Part F: Ventilation
To ensure your equipment works to its full efficiency, your solar PV system has to be installed with adequate space and ventilation around it. Cables, connectors and your solar inverter generate heat while in use so they require plenty of ventilation to reduce the risk of overheating and fire.
How to Make Sure Your Solar Panels Comply With Building Regulations
The best way to ensure your solar PV system adheres to building regulations is to use a certified installer like SolarTherm UK. Our installers are NICEIC certified and MCS accredited. We will cover all aspects of the building regulations and on completion your documentation and certificates will be provided in your handover pack.
Are Building Regulations the Same as Planning Permission?
Building regulations are concerned for setting standards within the building trade, making sure high standards of structural integrity, fire safety, insulation and ventilation are met. Planning permission will assess the impact of a project on it’s surroundings.
Luckily, most solar panel installations do not require planning permission as they fall under permitted development rights. If you live in a conservation area or own a listed building you will require planning permission, but at SolarTherm UK, we can advise with this and also help design a solar PV system that will meet planning requirements on these style homes. For more information check out our dedicated article on installing solar panels on a listed building or in a conservation area.
Ready to Start Your Solar Journey?
At SolarTherm UK we design bespoke solar PV systems, tailored for your property, usage and future energy needs. No hard-sell, just honest, expert advice.
Our qualified and experienced installers can give you the peace of mind you deserve with a job well done.
