Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike80911
I have read several threads here on solar and it seems there are very knowledgeable people here when it comes to solar.
I am considering having solar installed on my home as my monthly utility bills are out of control, ranging between $500-$700 just for electric (i have gas heat) a month depending on the season, not to mention the property tax savings.
My question is what questions should I be asking the representatives when they come to give me the sales pitch? What should I be looking for with the systems they use? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Mike, a lot will depend on where you live (e.g., latitude, utility rates) and your energy use profile (EV, electric dryer, hot water, kids in the home and so on).
While there are numerous solar calculators available online, I like the one from Project Sunroof (
https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/) to give an estimated size of system recommended for your home as well as ballpark system costs and break-even period for purchase, lease, or loan to pay for the system. Once you have preliminary system specs you can go to the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) site and input those parameters to estimate how much your system would generate each month throughout the year (
https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php).
Residential solar is most efficient if it's used as it's generated (i.e., if you run your high-load items like AC, pool or irrigation pumps, washer/dryer, etc. during mid-day to early afternoon) so you might want to consider how much flexibility you have to (potentially) change your electricity use habits. Unless you're contemplating going completely off-grid (in which case you'll need a fair bit of storage) you'll need to sign up w/your electric utility's Net Metering program, which is a special electric rate (tariff in utility terms) that specifies what you'll pay per kWh for electricity, what the utility will pay you for the excess electricity you generate but don't use, what time(s) of day or months of the year those things might change, and whether there's some sort of (typically annual) true-up to help avoid major swings in your electric bill from month to month. A lot of what drives whether rooftop solar is a good deal for you will be driven by the details of the utility's Net Metering rules (which vary by state and utility) and by your ability to adjust how and when you use electricity.
I'd ask about how the installer handles warranty/liability for roof damage during installation, roof leaks years after installation (depending on how the racks are mounted), and degradation as the system ages (PV panels lose their efficiency over time at different rates depending on the materials used). As with any other major home repair/upgrade I'd also ask for local references of existing customers.
HTH