There are a few reasons. First, most manufacturers guarantee their panels will still function at over 90% production in thirty years. Secondly, finance companies offer twenty-five to thirty-year terms on a loan for solar. Cash buyers of solar will compare the lump-sum cost of solar to the lump-sum cost to do nothing. People who choose to finance will compare their monthly electricity payment to their monthly solar payment. We have found that even with finance company interest rates and fees over thirty years, the total price for solar is still significantly less than the cost to do nothing.

Many homeowners are not in their “forever” homes yet, but still would like to avoid rising electric rates. When it comes time to sell your home, there is the option to take your solar with you, but your electric consumption may be different in your new home, and cost to move solar can be a burden, so this is often ill-advised. Many solar customers choose to sell their solar with their home. If you were a prospective home buyer and one option was a home with no electric bill, which would you choose? So would most other home buyers. The home may cost a little more, but they can take what they would be spending on electric and deduct that from their new mortgage payment. There are lease options too.

Most systems are upgradeable. If your consumption rises, you can simply add more panels as needed to compensate. Roof space and other possible obstacles will need to be considered. If your consumption goes down and your solar is producing more than you use, your power company may compensate you for that overage. It’s not the get rich quick scheme that has been propagandized by some solar advertisers, but it’s something. Another thing to think about is batteries. The overage can charge your batteries for use during a power outage.

Yes.  A traditional solar installation feeds all the electricity it produces back into the grid to offset what you are using. If the grid goes down, your home will be as dark as your neighbors. There are alternative installations that use batteries that can be considered. Let your representative know, and they can design a system to your specific needs and wants.

Once or twice a year you should have your panels cleaned. This is usually a trip fee plus about $10 a panel. We include a full system check when we do it for our customers to make sure all is well. If you are in a heavily wooded area with lots of pollen, or a heavily populated area with lots of smog, are the main difference between once and twice a year. Obviously, the cleaner your panels, the more productive they will be.

Call us. We’ll determine exactly how much power you use. Based on that, we will design a battery system that will run your entire home. Then we will design a solar array that will keep those batteries charged. Manage your expectations. This is no longer a situation where you can expect solar to pay for itself anytime soon. Being self-sufficient has value. Being prepared for power outages has value. Expect to pay for these benefits.