Once you’ve determined that your roof faces the right way, the next step is to ensure that your roof is not shaded. The portions of the roof where solar will be installed should be free of shade for most of the day, as shade can significantly reduce electricity production. Trees, chimneys, and dormers are factors that can cause shading on a roof. If you’re not sure if your roof is shaded, an installer can use a tool called a solar pathfinder to figure out if trees or other objects will cast shade during the day. Solar systems are most efficient when they are installed in a large interrupted space. Things like dormer windows, chimneys, vents, skylights, air conditioning units can be obstacles to installing a system.
If your roof isn’t good for solar you may be able to install a ground-mounted system. You’ll need enough space far away from trees or other objects. Most ground mount systems are made out of a combination of aluminum and stainless steel and are mounted in concrete footings in the ground.
A solar system should last roughly 30 years. It’s important the roof underneath be in good shape. If your roof is more than 10 years old, we recommend having it evaluated to determine its remaining lifespan. You may want to consider repairs or replacement prior to installing solar. If you need work done to your roof after you install solar, you can pay a qualified installer to remove the system before the roof work and re-install it afterward. Costs for this vary, but typically range between $1,000 and $2,500.
Most people don’t have enough space on their roof to offset 100% of their electricity needs. You can still offset a portion of your electricity bill with solar. A solar system on a typical house will produce about 30-60% of your electric needs (assuming an average consumption of 850kwh/month). But that percentage depends on how much electricity you use.
Your installer will estimate how much solar will fit on your roof. They will also estimate the amount of electricity your system will produce each year. These projections are very accurate, based on several decades of testing by the U.S. Department of Energy.
You can use the website, PV Watts, to estimate how much solar you could put on your roof. Then, you can compare the system’s estimated annual electricity production to the amount of electricity you used last year. This will tell you what percentage of your electric bill you could offset with solar. Click here for a tutorial of PV Watts.
Leaks caused by your solar system should be covered under your installer’s labor warranty. Give your installer a call and they’ll come out and fix it right away.
This will vary based upon where you live. Most localities require a permit to install and/or turn on your system. This is in place to ensure that your system is installed safely. You should work with your installer to ensure that your system is being installed up to local code.
This will vary based upon where you live. Most localities require a permit to install and/or turn on your system. This is in place to ensure that your system is installed safely. You should work with your installer to ensure that your system is being installed up to local code.
It typically takes 1-2 months for your installer to design your solar system and then secure initial permits and interconnection agreements. Once they have secured the proper permits, installers usually only need a day or two on-site to put up your system. They will then need to get final approval from the local government permitting office and secure final interconnection approval from the utility. This can take an additional 1-3 months depending on the jurisdiction.
When choosing an installer, you should consider their level of experience, competence, and the products they use. You will also want to weigh their ability to provide you the best service and support before, during and after your solar installation.
All installation crews should have at least one, if not all, of their installation staff be NABCEP or RISE certified. This includes their electricians. You should ask the installer how much experience they have with installing systems that are similar to yours.
You will also want to ask your installer what components they offer and typically install. This is helpful if
there is a specific type of component package or offering (e.g., American-made, high-efficiency, ground mount) you value.
You should also research prospective installers by asking for references and looking at review sites such as Angie’s List.
What can I do if my homeowners association says it won't allow solar?
If you are encountering resistance from your HOA, join the FL SUN listserv and let us know. We can help you navigate the process. Often, if you get a number of residents from the same HOA together to go solar, you can overcome restrictive HOA rules.
Solar installations in historic districts typically must go through an additional step in the permitting process to ensure the location and method of installation comply with local historic requirements. In some jurisdictions, this review is done within the standard permit review process. In others, it is handled by a separate historic review board. Your installer will be familiar with the requirements in your area. You should expect your installer to work with the relevant review body to secure the necessary permits. The cost for doing so should be included in the cost of going solar.
This answer will vary depending upon the size and type of system you purchase. A typical medium-sized system costs roughly $11,000. Please note, this figure does not include the 30% federal tax credit.
Payback time depends upon several factors: size of system purchased, average energy usage, the price of electricity, and value of renewable energy credits. We advise solar customers to estimate a 9-20 year payback time.
For a detailed guide to solar financing check out this homeowner’s guide from the Clean Energy States Alliance.
Net metering- Net metering allows you to offset your energy consumption with your energy production. When your solar panel is producing electricity your electric meter runs backwards. When you’re using more power than your system generates, your electric meter runs forward. At the end of the month, your final electric bill is your total usage minus the electricity that your solar panels produced.
If at the end of the month you have generated more electricity with your solar panels than you have used, you can roll over this credit on your bill to the next month, just like ‘rollover minutes’ for your cell phone. With net metering, you get full credit for periods of excess solar production and are only billed for the total electricity you purchase from your utility over the course of the year.
Federal Tax Credit- This tax credit provides you 30% off the total cost of the system. This is calculated before other incentives. You still have to pay up front for the system, but when you file your taxes you will receive a 30% credit (not a deduction) from the federal government.
Learn more about the 30% federal tax credit.
Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)- When you generate solar electricity from your system you also generate an associated “green value” for your electricity. This is known as an SREC. Every time your system produces 1,000 kWh of electricity, you get one SREC. These SRECs have a variable monetary value, like a company’s stock or commodity product.
“Price per watt” is how installers price solar systems. As the name implies, this is the price you will pay for each watt of electricity your system is rated to produce. Each solar panel comes with a wattage rating. This rating is the amount of DC (direct current) power the panel produces under test conditions. So, a panel rated at 300 watts produces that much power output.
A solar system made up of ten 300 watt panels would produce 3,000 watts*. Let’s assume that system costs $10,000. Doing the math, the cost per watt of the system is $3.33.
$10,000/3,000 watts=$3.33/watt
If you find there are issues with your system you should contact your installer and work with them to get the issue resolved. You should have an online monitoring portal available to you. This will show you the amount of energy you generate. You can use this information to verify if your system is still producing energy in the quantity it did before. Keep in mind that energy production fluctuates from day to day, month to month, and year to year based on weather conditions and other factors. Despite those fluctuations, you should see a consistent curve of energy production over time.
It is common for systems to produce more than a home uses during the day when you are not home, using electricity. Net metering is a billing system that ensures you receive fair compensation for the electricity your system generates. It allows residential solar energy generators to offset energy consumption with energy production. When your solar panels are producing more electricity than you’re using on site, your electric meter runs backwards. When you’re using more electricity than you system is generating, your electric meter runs forward. At the end of the month, your final electric utility bill is your total usage minus the electricity that your solar panels produced.