Installing solar during a pandemic

Despite requirements for physical distancing during the current pandemic, residential solar installations are continuing.

Initial sales discussions already often done remotely. If an in-person meeting is required, consider standing on the front lawn at a distance. Some solar retailers use aerial mapping to plan the installation, but it’s better to have a site visit to avoid surprises on the installation day.

In many Aussie homes, installation can occur without having anyone enter the home. The key question is “where is the switchboard?” In some states such as NSW, it’s normally outside the front door together with the billing meter. In other states such as Victoria, it’s more of a mix between outdoors and indoors.

Even if the switchboard is indoors, the installers wouldn’t be touching many surfaces, and you can arrange with the company to implement safety measures such as:

• Workers wear clean gloves and mask while they’re inside the house.
• Surfaces are wiped down with disinfectant
• Air out the house after they leave

Such precautions are likely to be easier to control if you’re dealing with a local solar installer rather than an anonymous subcontractor of a large solar sales company.

After installation, the installer should show you how to use the system, for example how to operate switches to shut it down. Rather than standing side-by-side during an in-person demonstration, perhaps the installer can take a video or annotated photos and send them to you.  Of course they can send standard operation manuals too.