The solar industry continues to thrive and grow. Would a solar system work well at your home? We hear many common questions about solar systems, including:
- What would be the best solar setup at my home?
- How much will it save me on my electric bill?
- Will I still be able or need to super cool?
- Do I need to consider a solar storage system as well?
Consult a reputable solar company to get your questions answered. It is essential to consult a company that is customer service-minded rather than just sales-driven.
Sam Dunbar, solar and battery integrator, and Anthony Weidenfeller, sales engineer at Sun Valley Solar (SVS), a Rosie on the House Certified Partner, explain the process of ordering a solar system uniquely designed for your home. Sam and Anthony say the best process starts from the first phone call.
Gathering Information
Homeowners answer questions during that call that help to design a system for their home. The information collected will be used to begin a design process that can help establish potential solutions quickly.
In the first sit-down or face-to-face meeting, the consumer is presented with a possible system size, layout, and preliminary cost. There is no fee for this step.
Here is a list of questions you will likely be asked during that sit-down. Knowing these will help you be prepared to respond accurately and therefore result in better information regarding solutions.
What is your current electrical usage?
Usage is measured in kilowatt hours (kW h) and can be found on your electric utility bill. It will be helpful if you can provide a year’s worth of bills. If not, use whatever you can gather for that first call.
Where is your house located, and what is the layout?
With your address or Assessor Parcel Number (APN), which can be retrieved from your property tax bill, SVS company can get a satellite representation of your home. Access to this information provides necessary information about your roof type, orientation, and obstacles that might impede solar access.
What is your daily routine?
How you occupy your home is essential information when planning power usage.
- How many air conditioning units do you have?
- Do you have a pool with a variable-speed pump?
- Do you have an electric vehicle that requires a charging port?
- Are you home all day?
- Do you work from home?
These lifestyle questions are critical to understanding how your energy is consumed.
Armed with these answers, Sam, Anthony, and other team members develop a basic design, including a roof layout. This process leads to developing a budget number for you to consider.
Through a consultative development process, the team will further investigate several other facts about your home’s infrastructure. Verifying the location of your home’s Service Entry Section (SES), where power currently enters your home, is another key component for development of the final plan.
Energy Management
Further discussion should revolve around how you will manage the power harnessed by the sun.
This boils down to determining when you will use energy. Will energy be consumed during on-peak or off-peak demand times? Peak times are set by your utility company. In a 24-hour period, on-peak time designates when demand for electricity is highest and most expensive. Off-peak is the time of day energy demand is the lowest, and power is cheaper.
It’s no secret that we love “Super Cooling” as a method of managing energy usage. This is but one way to decide when to minimize or maximize your power consumption. Managing usage will affect your bottom line.
Sam tells us that regulating your appliances, other than the heating and cooling systems, is another method available to help you manage your consumption.
Managing your consumption is a viable way to control your energy usage. Maximize your use of the sun’s power to balance the amount of power you might need from your electric provider or on the grid.
Solar Batteries
Solar batteries are another helpful tool in energy storage. If you are like most of us, you and your family are probably not home most of the day when solar energy being collected is at its maximum. Your home’s energy consumption tends to be at its lowest when you are away. Battery storage is a tool that can help you balance out the consumption vs. collection curves.
Sam tells us that battery storage systems are quickly becoming the preferred alternative to demand management. There are two significant benefits in using stored power.
- Mitigate “on peak” usage: Use stored power, not grid power, during peak demand hours.
- Manage power outages: When the grid fails, all the power is out. A solar battery can continue to supply power to your home for several hours. The length of backup time depends entirely on the battery system you choose.
The technology behind solar batteries has improved exponentially over the years. The storage batteries don’t take up much space. Sam says they see this as the next generation of home solar systems.
Financing Your System
One of the major support features of a comprehensive approach to providing solar power is financing your system. Sam says multiple options range from paying cash, loans, and leasing options, each with their own distinct permutations for you to consider. You decide what works best for you.
Return on Investment
The question of “payback” always comes up. There are as many answers to this question as there are different systems and different user types. Sam says that the company you choose should be able to give you a pretty good idea of the overall savings you are likely to receive.
At Rosie on the House, we are all about what works for every Arizona Homeowner. We urge you to do your homework if you are considering a solar system. Sun Valley Solar Solutions is just one of several companies throughout the state that have become Rosie Certified Partners.
Send us your solar stories. The more feedback we get, the better we will be able to serve every Arizona homeowner.
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CONTENT PARTNER | Sun Valley Solar Solutions
Since 2006, Sun Valley Solar Solutions has been helping Arizona homeowners and businesses turn the state’s most abundant natural resource into immediate savings for a cleaner tomorrow. Based in Chandler, Arizona, Sun Valley Solar Solutions is a SRP Preferred Solar Installer and is accredited as a SunPower Authorized Dealer by SunPower Corp. Give them a call today!
PODCAST
We highly endorse solar. However, we can’t say the same for the industry because there’s plenty of bad information, installs and sales tactics with little or no knowledge about it. Get straight talk about solar panels, batteries, and more with Sun Valley Solar Solutions‘ Sam Dunbar and Anthony Weidenfeller. Be smart about cutting your energy bill.
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PHOTO CREDIT
- Sun Valley Solar Solutions
- Shutterstock
