Solar power is becoming increasingly popular as the costs of gas and electricity have substantially increased over recent years. There is also pressure from environmentalist to move towards greener fuels, so solar power is heading up the popularity list.

Before you go green and swap to solar energy here are a couple of things to consider.

1. Angle and direction of roof - The best and most obvious place for solar panels to be fitted is on the roof. To get the maximum exposure of your panels to the sun, and hence the maximum energy you will want to get the angle and direction of the panels correct.

Do not worry about other weather conditions too much. Rain will not hurt your panels, and will in fact help to keep them clean. Equally, your solar panels will be angled so snow should slide off.

2. Getting the right kit " The best way to install solar energy to your house is to buy a kit. It is important to make sure that you buy the best kit you can or you will end up paying more money to buy extras or to hire someone to help with the installation.

As with most things in life you get what you pay for, so it may not be a good idea to get the cheapest kit on the market.

3. How much will it cost to change to solar power? Across the world governments are panicking about the effects of global warming, so they are doing everything possible to covert people to greener energy sources. It is worth researching to see if you qualify for any of the grants which are currently available.

If you are not sure where to start a good place is with the manufacturers of the solar panel kits. These people want you to convert to solar power and they are usually a great source of information. Try to find a regional office that will know what is best specifically in your area and will be familiar with the building types as well as the grants available.