Currently, as of the time of me writing this first post, have a half dozen guys in/on my house installing solar panels. Wife and I decided with the rate hikes on our power bill we've been getting, and with the additional rate hikes, it was time to seriously consider it. After getting a few quotes, it made even more sense. Also explains why seemingly half the houses in my neighborhood have solar panels on them.
I started by researching a local outfit with a very stellar reputation. Their rep came to my house and gave us a presentation breaking down the power bill we sent to them, and how things would look for us with various solar options. All in all, these guys were really great and did an awesome job. Seemed like an outfit we could really get behind to do the work for us.
Here's the breakdown the made of our power usage by month and the estimated solar power generation from their proposed system. Their system they quoted would generate approximately 101% of our annual power needs. How it works is that your solar system is hooked in to the power grid, not your house directly. You "sell" your power to the power company for credits. So if and when you generate far more power in the summer than you use, those credits will be applied to the winter months when you're flipped in the other direction. The goal is to totally offset your annual usage.
The model showing our house and proposed panels:
After the great experience with this outfit, I come to find out that a friend of mine who's a contractor and reps for another solar outfit. So I told him to throw his name in the hat as well. So him and the company he's affiliated with put together another bid for us. They proposed a system that gave us 109% of our estimated usage: as both a buffer and to account for the degredation over time of a solar panel. Best part, it was all that, with the same panels and inverter, for a bit less in cost of the first system we had quoted. Seemed like a no brainer.
I'll report back as things start operating in the coming months. But if you're considering it, it makes more sense to at least look in to it than you'd think. Even if you finance it, chances are your monthly payments will be similar to your monthly power bill, while avoiding the future rate hikes on the way. Obviously some houses and properties are better equipped than others, but just thought I'd put this out there in case it helps anyone.
Them starting with the brackets:
Hooray for panels!
I started by researching a local outfit with a very stellar reputation. Their rep came to my house and gave us a presentation breaking down the power bill we sent to them, and how things would look for us with various solar options. All in all, these guys were really great and did an awesome job. Seemed like an outfit we could really get behind to do the work for us.
Here's the breakdown the made of our power usage by month and the estimated solar power generation from their proposed system. Their system they quoted would generate approximately 101% of our annual power needs. How it works is that your solar system is hooked in to the power grid, not your house directly. You "sell" your power to the power company for credits. So if and when you generate far more power in the summer than you use, those credits will be applied to the winter months when you're flipped in the other direction. The goal is to totally offset your annual usage.
The model showing our house and proposed panels:
After the great experience with this outfit, I come to find out that a friend of mine who's a contractor and reps for another solar outfit. So I told him to throw his name in the hat as well. So him and the company he's affiliated with put together another bid for us. They proposed a system that gave us 109% of our estimated usage: as both a buffer and to account for the degredation over time of a solar panel. Best part, it was all that, with the same panels and inverter, for a bit less in cost of the first system we had quoted. Seemed like a no brainer.
I'll report back as things start operating in the coming months. But if you're considering it, it makes more sense to at least look in to it than you'd think. Even if you finance it, chances are your monthly payments will be similar to your monthly power bill, while avoiding the future rate hikes on the way. Obviously some houses and properties are better equipped than others, but just thought I'd put this out there in case it helps anyone.
Them starting with the brackets:
Hooray for panels!
