F.A.Q.
1. How long do solar panels last?
The solar panels have no moving parts and are emission free! Most solar panels carry 20-25 year warranties, with life expectancies of 30+ years.
2. Can solar panels withstand hail?
Solar panels are manufactured with high-impact tempered glass. The industry standard states the panels should be able to withstand 3/4” hail at 60 mph. If your solar panels are damaged by hail, the damage can be claimed via your homeowner’s insurance policy.
3. How can I tell if my building is suitable for solar?
Several aspects will need to be evaluated to determine if your building is a good solar site, such as orientation, space available, shadows on the space available and your current electricity usage. The best site will be one with adequate south-facing roofs that have no shade. Variations on that will cut into the productivity of the system. If the roof is not suitable, the panels can be mounted on the ground via a Top-Of-Pole mount or Ground Mount system.
4. Solar battery backup
The solar panel system will require roughly 20% more solar panels for a battery backup system. The batteries need to be in a well ventilated area and can be stored outside in an enclosure. You should be able to get 9-10 years life out of a good battery if it’s charged correctly. The battery will include a 7 year pro-rated warranty from the manufacturer.
5. How many batteries are required for a battery backup system?
The system can be designed to run a couple of essential items such as refrigerator, computer, etc or the whole house. Each battery backup system is unique and depends on how long the customer would like to run these items on a battery backup system. Adding battery backup to a solar panel system can increase the system cost between 5k to 10k depending on the requirements of the system.
6. Power outage and grid-tie systems
The solar panel system will shutdown when there is a power outage. This is to prevent feeding electricity into the power lines when the power company expects the wires to be down and not producing electricity.
7. How long does it take to install a solar panel system?
Depending on the size of the solar panel system the physical installation of the panels could take a couple of days. However, the process to obtain all of the permits and grants can take between 2 – 4 months. This includes the permits for net-metering, electrical, and the engineer to certify the mounting system is adequate for the solar panel system.
8. How much does a solar panel system cost?
The cost of each system is unique because of the different variables involved in the installation process. This includes the type of solar panels purchased, if the system is a grid-tie system or the system has a battery backup system. The pitch of the roof and the current condition of the roof. Is the roof old and need to be replaced before the panels can be installed? Objects on the roof that could cause shading on the panels? These issues would need to be addressed before the solar panel installation. The overall cost of the system is reduced after the federal / state / local tax incentives.
