Buying a home that is part of a homeowners association (HOA) can be helpful in that it helps keep the value of the homes high and promotes the idea of homeowners being good neighbors to one another. However, when it comes to wanting to make improvements to a house you bought, the HOA can be quite the obstacle in accomplishing that.
There are 30 states within the United States that do not permit HOAs to prevent you from placing solar panels on or around your home, and Nevada is one of them. However, they can restrict the size, location, and appearance of solar panels as long as they only impact the efficiency or performance by 10% of what’s anticipated initially.
Solar Panel Sizes or Number of Panel Restrictions
Some Nevada HOA laws require that all houses have a uniform look regarding the physical size or the number of panels allowed to be installed on the roofs. However, to meet your energy requirements, you must have the correct number of panels of specific physical dimensions to ensure you have enough space on the roof to meet those needs.
The energy requirements, and therefore, the physical dimensions and the number of solar panels, will differ depending on the size of the house. The more solar panel cells available, the more electricity is produced.
The HOA will not be able to restrict you from putting more or fewer panels on the roof if it will provide less than 90% of the energy requirement performance expected from the solar installation.
Solar Panel Location Restrictions
HOAs may require all houses to have their solar panels on specific roof areas to have a more aesthetically pleasing look among the houses. However, a solar system installer may find that where the HOA wants the panels will interfere considerably with the panels’ efficiency.
In this case, the installer can provide the HOA with a detailed technical report demonstrating that putting the panels on the location of the roof required by the HOA will significantly diminish the panels’ performance. A state agency may have to intervene if the HOA does not relent.
The Appearance of Solar Panels and Equipment
Some HOAs may require the solar panels and any associated wiring or equipment to be a specific color. They may even require your solar panels to match the color of your roof. Solar panels come in two colors, blue and black. Your HOA may require all houses to get the black panels because they blend better with the roof and surroundings. However, the HOA in Nevada cannot require you to use panels painted with black solar glazing.
Communicate With Your HOA To Ensure Your Solar Design is in Compliance
Although Nevada HOA laws cannot prohibit the solar transformation of your home, they can still contain restrictions. Therefore, it’s best to communicate with your HOA about your intentions and learn how to conform to their regulations while not compromising the efficiency of your solar system.
We know how to assess, design, and install a solar power system that fits within the confines of HOA rules. Contact us for your free consultation and quote to install a solar system on your HOA home in Nevada.
