PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR FAQ

The best direction and angle for your solar panels is south-facing at 30 degrees. However, if your roof faces another direction, we can do our best to work with it. Roofs facing southwest or southeast can generate up to 95% of optimal energy, whereas roofs facing east or west can generate up to 85% of optimal energy. While a south-facing roof is not entirely out of the question, we would not recommend it unless no other option is available.

• Individuals may debate whether the planet needs saving, but how solar will save you money is beyond query. Some leading reasons to go solar:
  • Excellent return on your investment.
  • Utility rates are rising every year.
  • Increase in property value.
  • Federal Tax incentives.
  • Solar is a renewable and clean source of energy.
  • It can be set up to power your home even if the grid is down after a storm.

A challenging question to answer because the cost of a PV system depends on how much power you want to produce, and that number is different for everyone. For example, offsetting a $100 monthly utility bill is much less expensive than offsetting a $400 monthly utility bill. However, photovoltaic solar systems are an excellent route for you to save money; no matter your budget, if you can afford to pay your monthly electricity bill, you can afford to install a photovoltaic solar system. Other aspects include the type of equipment utilized and if you qualify for the Federal Tax Incentive. With a $0-down solar loan, you can finance your photovoltaic solar system and see instantaneous savings.

No, in Florida, there is no Sales Tax on anything Solar.

There are multiple financing options available for solar. It is common for homeowners who explore financing options to take advantage of the terms and rates that keep their monthly payments about the same as their electric bills used to be. Additional popular finance choices are home equity loans or as a figure of your property taxes.

We simply remove the system and set it aside at your residence until the roofer is finished. Once the new roof is completed and inspected, we return and reinstall the system. Keep in mind that if you change your roofing material, often new mounts will be required for reinstall (i.e., new mounts would be required if you originally had a shingle roof and get a new metal roof).

Yes, you can, but more often than not, homeowners find that solar electric increases the home’s value to a point where it pays for itself, and they choose to sell the house with the solar.

It is common for individuals to assume that a solar electric system will supply them with power during an outage; however, solar alone is not capable of this. For solar to keep functioning during an outage, it must work in conjunction with a battery backup system. When solar is paired with a battery backup system, their functionality is comparable to a gas generator. A selected set of critical loads is powered, such as lights, refrigerators, smaller AC units, etc. The primary difference between a generator and solar with battery backup is that a generator requires fuel, while solar will begin to recharge your battery every morning when the sun comes out.

The most popular area to install solar panels is on a roof, although they can be installed on any available terrain. Regardless of the type of roof you have, we can accommodate solar panel installation. The only thing you should note is to avoid shaded locations because the amount of sunlight your solar panels acquire will influence the amount of energy produced; you want to make certain the area receives optimal sunlight exposure.

You may be wondering how much time and effort you will need to put into maintaining your solar panel system. The good news is that depending on the slope your panels are angled at, little to no maintenance is required throughout its serviceable lifespan. This is typically 20 to 25 years. However, if your panels are pitched at an angle lower than 10 degrees, you may find that dust and debris accumulate on them easily. As a result, you may wish to clean them frequently – just be sure not to use harsh chemicals or abrasives.

Although we cannot guarantee that solar electricity can increase the value of your home, according to a study, it has been shown that, on average, solar panels raise a home’s value by 4.1% across the U.S., according to a new Zillow analysis of homes across the country. We can also guarantee that it will enhance your energy performance. Energy performance is a significant factor that influences the value of a home, and the new owner can benefit from decreased energy bills, which is always a plus. Nevertheless, the quality of installation is also essential to guarantee that your solar panel system can endure you for as long as feasible.

A solar electric system can be a good investment, primarily if you want to minimize your environmental impact and help save money on utilities. Although solar energy can initially cost a good amount to purchase and set up, people find that in the long run, photovoltaic solar is plenty less expensive than electricity due to the rising price of electricity. As long as you have sufficient roof space available to install the proper size solar electric system, and with appropriate planning, your solar panels can produce enough electricity to fulfill your demands over a 12-month period, effectively eliminating most of your utility bill.

As long as your photovoltaic solar panels are installed correctly, they shouldn’t damage the infrastructure or exterior of your roof. If you are working with a qualified and licensed professional, and your roof is in good shape, then your solar panels won’t impact the integrity of your roof. Photovoltaic solar systems are highly durable. Photovoltaic solar panels are made of tempered glass and can withstand rain, hail, snow, and high winds. They can even prolong the life of your roof by shielding it from day-to-day wear and tear.

A solar electric system has five critical components: solar panels, a string inverter or microinverters, an electrical panel, the electric meter, and the sun. Conduits and cabling are all part of a solar electric system, and racking and mounts will need to be installed to secure the panels to your roof. If desired, you can install a battery or a few with your system for backup power.

Photovoltaic Solar panels, or PV panels, are made to last and produce electricity for more than 25 years, which is one of the main ways they’re cost-effective. Additional elements like inverters and batteries can last almost as long, so they may only need to be replaced once during the life of your solar panels. A majority of solar panel manufacturers offer a 25-year power production warranty, which guarantees that their solar panels will continue to produce electricity to a certain degree for the duration of the warranty. Solar panels are remarkably reliable, and solar panel longevity has increased dramatically over the last 20 years.

You will need to get your power from the utility company or another source at night unless you have a battery backup system. At night, solar electric panels don’t produce any energy as the panels go “to sleep.” No worries, because most solar energy systems installed today are grid-interactive, meaning solar panels produce energy during the day, and any surplus energy is sent back to the utility grid and put “in the bank” for later use. When you require electricity, the utility delivers preserved power to you seamlessly. You will be billed only for the net amount you use per month in a process called Net Metering. Your solar panels will produce less energy during cloudy weather, and you may need the utility company to make up the difference. This all occurs without user interaction, and you will never know the difference. What’s essential is how much energy you produce and how much you consume over time (months and years, not seconds and minutes). The immediate power conditions of your residence are not relevant. Thus, you always have a dependable source of power and are only billed for the portion of the energy you use over what your solar panels have produced over time.

Photovoltaic solar systems are tied to the electric grid and do not require batteries to store power (except for retaining power during a power outage). At times when you use more electricity than your photovoltaic solar panels produce, either at night or on cloudy days, you draw electricity back from the grid, driving your meter forwards. At the end of each month, you are billed the net of what you put onto the grid and what you took off the grid: thus, “net metering.” At the end of the year, if you have excess energy you didn’t use, your utility company may provide bill credits for the extra power you put back into the grid.

Typically, a residential installation will take about 45 to 60 days from start to finish. Depending on the jurisdiction, this could be up to 90 days in the worst-case scenario. Once the permit is issued, installation of the system usually takes 1-3 days, depending on the size of the system. We advise you to check the current wait time for your jurisdiction with one of our solar consultants.