Top 3 Questions To Ask Your Solar Energy Company in 2020
There are numerous questions you should be asking when it comes to exploring solar energy companies in California. Doing your due diligence before the installation of solar panels ensures you have an understanding of the value, workmanship, and allows you to avoid future problems. Regardless of whether you’re a solar energy newbie or a curious home owner, we will be covering the top 3 most frequently asked questions about solar energy to cover all the bases.
3 Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Energy
When you are an educated consumer, it will be much easier to discuss all your options for saving money with solar energy.
From how do solar panels work to qualifying for tax credits to lower the cost of installation, use the answers below to these top 5 solar questions as your personal cheat sheet.
- What are the costs and benefits of going solar?
The cost of your solar investment will fluctuate greatly, contingent upon the size of the solar panel system, your location, & available incentives. According to Energy Sage, as of September 2020, the average solar panel cost in California is $3.03/W. After accounting for the 26% Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and other state and local solar incentives, the net price you’ll pay for solar can fall by thousands of dollars.
Now, what about the benefits? Below are how solar panels can benefit you.
- Solar Panels are Environmentally Friendly -Solar Energy is clean energy. By installing solar panels on your home or business, you help decrease dependence on fossil fuels and assist with a smaller carbon footprint.
- Solar Power Saves $$ - Solar Panel systems can decrease ( or eliminate) your electric bill. Furthermore, with solar panels, you can begin saving almost immediately
- Solar Panels are an Investment- Solar panels are great for saving money on your utility bill, but the money related advantages broaden farther than monthly savings on your bill; they add significant value to your home and property.
2. Do i need battery storage or back-up?
What is solar battery storage? Battery storage allows homeowners and businesses to capture and store energy during times of low demand. What this implies is that homes with solar battery storage can store an abundance of solar power onsite for utilization later when the sun isn't shining. As a little something extra, since the batteries store energy at your home, they additionally offer momentary backup power in the event that there’s a power outage in your area.
For homeowners in California, battery storage can be extremely valuable as electric companies tend to implement rolling blackouts during the hot summer months or during times of high fire danger. All power will be turned off in danger prone areas, and will only be re-established when the risk has diminished. For some areas, this could take days or even a week until power is available again.
By gathering energy from solar panels and storing it, people all over California can do their part to help prevent wildfires without sitting in the dark.
3. Do solar panels need cleaning or maintenance
Occasionally, solar panels will need minor cleaning and maintenance due to smog, dust, dirt, bad weather and other items blowing around the system. Even if your solar panel system is working fine, it’s important to get it checked out at least 2–4 times a year to ensure safe and optimal solar energy usage.
For most home installations, cleaning the panels could be as easy as using a hose to wash off any debris on the panel. If the dirt and grime do not come off easily, we suggest hiring a professional to clean and maintain the solar panels. Here are what is usually included in solar panel maintenance.
Full system diagnostics usually include:
- Inspection of Main Interconnection Breaker
- Inspection of all connections between Main Service and Inverter
- Inspection of all connections between Solar Panels and Inverter
- Cleaning of Inverter
- Analysis of systems compliance with Current building and fire code
- Replacement of all wire nuts with Heavy-duty equipment
- Perform shading tests
- Inspection of monitoring equipment
- Migration of customers monitoring site to Semper Solaris servers
- Report findings and system performance
- 90-day warranty on all repairs
