Is My House Solar Compatible

What Kind Of Roof Do You Have

Solar panels work best with strong, durable roofing materials, such as composite or asphalt shingle, concrete tile or standing seam metal. For roofing materials such as wood shake and slate tile, or for roofs made of clay with mortar or composite metal/stone coated steel, you can still go solar but you’d want to choose a solar professional who has experience installing solar panels on those types of roofs. Also, the type of mounting hardware your solar installer plans to use is important. SunPower Equinox uses InvisiMount hardware that is designed to work with most roof types and is visually attractive.

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Does Your Roof Experience Lots Of Shading

You can have the biggest roof in the world, but if you live next to tall buildings or trees that shade your roof all day long, youre unfortunately not a good fit for solar. If your home is shaded for the majority of the day, it can be worth it to trim or remove trees in order to install solar panels. But dont fret about a bit of shading throughout the day: your home doesnt need to be perfectly sunny all of the time to benefit from a solar panel system.

Check If Your Roof Has A Clear Surrounding

Solar panels need to be exposed to the sun for a long time to recharge the energy that it has given off the past hours. It should get a continuous amount of sunlight for about 6 hours and more.

Obstructions such as chimneys, dormers, shadows from the trees, buildings, or neighbors whose house is taller than yours should be limited. If your solar panel does not have a clear path to get the right amount of sunlight, chances are the production of electricity is reduced.

Let your place get checked by a professional roof installation service. Know when is the best time to put up your solar panels and know if your roof is ready for a big change!

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Does It Matter If Solar Panels Are Vertical Or Horizontal

While most solar panels are installed horizontally, there is also valid reasons for placing them vertically, according to Modernize.com: Fewer rails are required to mount a solar panel vertically instead of horizontally. Horizontal solar panels require about twice as many railings and mountings to be installed.

Is My House A Good Fit For Solar Panels

Lets get down to the dollars and cents – what kind of solar plan do you qualify for? The good news is, you have options:

In many cases, youll get your pick of the options described above . Rates for financing will depend on your credit.

So how do you know if your roof is a good fit for solar panels? is a great place to start. You can use Project Sunroof to assess suitability. Beyond that, the best way to find out if your home is a good candidate for solar panels is to have an expert to look at your roof and conduct an on-site survey.

In this on-site survey, they will be looking at the following:

The on-site solar survey is the most accurate way to determine how many solar panels youll need to support your homes energy use and whether its safe to install them on your roof. If your home and rooftop dont seem ideal based on the information here, dont worry! The economical benefits usually depend most on how much electricity you use and what tax or other incentives are available in your area.

Now that you have the scoop on most of what youll need for going solar, youll have a better idea of knowing if solar will be beneficial for you and your home. Many solar companies will be able to help answer questions if you are still having a hard time pulling the plug on traditional energy. With solar being a long-term commitment, youll want to utilize the experts. Call a solar company to get more information today.

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Roof Orientation Obstructions And Shading

Your solar system is designed for maximum production. As such, we avoid placing panels near obstructions such as trees or other structures that may block the path of the sun. Each solar panel should be exposed to sunlight to produce the most electricity.

In the northern hemisphere, its best to have your panels on a south mounting plane. If a south mounting plane is not available, east and west are also good. Roof planes must be able to accommodate a minimum of two panels to be considered in your final design.

What Is Your Local Climate Like

Solar energy can be generated in all sorts of extreme climates, from rainy areas such as Seattle, to extremely hot locations such as Los Angeles, California. Solar suitability checker tools can help you understand how this could affect solar on your house. High-efficiency solar panels convert direct and indirect sunlight into electricity, so they work even on cloudy days. A solar consultant will estimate the amount of energy your system will produce so that you can see the potential savings before you decide to go solar.

If your area is prone to severe weather, check the durability rating of the panels you’re considering for your home. SunPower panels are rated No. 1 in third-party durability testing, which means they can withstand some of the harshest weather conditions, including hail up to 1 inch in diameter.1 In fact, SunPower technology is so reliable that NASA chose our solar cells to power its GROVER project, which explored Greenland’s vast and inhospitable ice sheets. Solar that’s tough enough for NASA is tough enough for your roof, too.

Think your house is a good candidate for solar? Find out how much you might save by entering your address into our solar savings calculator. Sign up for a free home solar estimate and evaluation or call us at 1-800-786-7693.

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You Qualify For Government Incentives

Government incentives can lower the cost of installing a solar system by up to 30%. The federal government currently offers a tax credit of 26% of the cost of systems installed in 2020, and 22% of the cost of systems installed in 2021.

Other incentives are available from state and local governments, so depending on where you live, you may be eligible for even more. Look up policies and incentives for your area at .

Can You Take Advantage Of Solar Incentives

Many states, utilities and even cities offer financial incentives for going solar to help defray the cost and quicken the payback period for your solar investment. If you live somewhere with these types of incentives, you should definitely strongly consider solar.

The best financial incentive for solar is the federal investment tax credit, or ITC. Importantly: the ITC, which returns more than 20 percent of what you pay for solar directly to your pocket as a tax credit, is only accessible to people who have enough tax liability. In other words, if you are retired, you likely wont be able to take full advantage of the ITC.

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Pros And Cons Of Sunrun

Sunrun offers customers solar panel installation through four unique financing options, including a monthly solar lease, full-amount solar lease, monthly solar loan, and full-system purchase. Sunrun is unique in that it offers full service to all of its customers, regardless of the purchasing plan they select.

For monthly solar and full-amount solar lease customers, full service is included in your contract, protecting your system from damage, theft, and degradation. Should your systems efficiency decrease, Sunrun will fix it at no cost to you. For loans and purchase customers, Sunrun includes these services with Protection Plus products.

Before committing to Sunrun, we recommend receiving quotes from multiple solar providers. Use this tool to get matched up with solar energy providers and pricing in your area.

Determine The Strength Of Your Roof

Installing solar panels on your roof would mean increasing the weight that it should hold. If your roof is not sturdy enough to carry the weight of the solar panel that will be installed, chances are, it will collapse.

This will be dangerous for your family and it will cost you more expenses for roof and solar panel repairs. Not to mention the cost of an installation service for both.

If you dont want to experience this painstaking situation to happen, have a professional roofing service to evaluate the needs of your roof before a solar panel installation.

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How Do Solar Panels Affect My Roof

Not only do you not have to worry about solar panels damaging your roof, you can actually look forward to them protecting your roof. Solar panels are like armor that protects your roof from exposure to the elements. Being protected from ultraviolet light, rain, hail and other forces that contribute to wear means your roof should last longer than it would otherwise.

Another nice perk is that your attic wont get as hot since your roof will be shaded by the panels. One study found that, under solar panels, the temperature of a buildings ceiling stayed five degrees cooler than the ceiling of a building without solar panels on the roof. Shading your homes interior means your air conditioning wont have to work as hard to cool your home, which can save you even more on your energy bills.

Of course, as with any type of contracting work, you should take all necessary measures to make sure your solar panels are installed properly. Issues like leaking typically only occur when the job isnt done right.

Whats The Next Step In Installing Solar Panels

If youre interested in having a new roof installed or have questions about installing solar panels on your current roof, contact the roofing experts at Sunshine Contracting Corp. We rank in the top two percent of roofing contractors in the nation and have been recognized through multiple certifications and awards for the outstanding work we consistently deliver.

We offer roofing services in Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Stafford County and the surrounding areas. We are happy to answer your questions online, over the phone at 703-935-4663, or in person through a free consultation at your home.

If you decide not to install solar panels but are looking for other ways to improve your homes energy efficiency, ask us about installing new doors and windows that could help lower your energy costs and reduce your homes carbon footprint. And if you are interested in having solar panels installed, its still worth considering new windows and doors to maximize your homes energy efficiency. Whatever your contracting needs, Sunshine Contracting Corp can get the job done.

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Receive Up To $3750 In Incentives By Participating

How will my APS bill change after my solar electric system is operational?

Some things on your electric bill will stay the same, such as your monthly service charge and things like transmission and distribution charges to name a few.

Solar will only affect the kWh portion of your bill. Once your solar electric system is operational, you’ll see kWh credits on your bill. Any excess kWhs will be applied to your bill based on your solar rate, either EPR-2 or Resource Comparison Proxy .

The kWh portion of your bill will be based on the readings from our bi-directional meter, also known as billable meter. The production meter installed on your home measures the overall generation of your solar electric system. The billable meter registers energy flowing from your solar electric system into your home and excess energy going to our grid. This is known as net billing.

It depends on the solar rate you choose – RCP or EPR-2.

The RCP rate allows customers to receive a credit for excess energy sent to the grid. Any bill credit in excess of the customer’s otherwise applicable monthly bill will be credited on the next monthly bill, or subsequent bills if necessary. After the customer’s December bill, a customer may request a check for any outstanding credits from the prior year however, if the outstanding credits exceed $25, we will automatically issue a check to the customer. Otherwise, the bill credits will carry forward to the following year.

How To Test That System Power Is Off

Change the temperature on your thermostat by at least 5 degrees.

• If its winter, turn up the temperature to turn on heating.
• If its summer and you have system cooling, turn down the temperature.
• Wait at least 5 minutes to check if your system turns on .

Tip: You can listen for your system to turn on, or put your hand near a vent to feel if theres warm or cool air that comes through.

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Home Compatibility With Solar Energy

Before selecting a solar provider, determine if your home can support a solar energy system. The main factors that affect a homes compatibility with solar energy include household electrical demand, your roof, and where you live.

• Household electrical demandTheres a delicate balance between a homes energy production and the need for solar panels. If a home doesnt use enough monthly energy, choosing solar may be more expensive. However, if you use too much monthly energy, your home could require so many solar panels that it may not be affordable. A solar provider will look into your homes energy consumption before installation to help you understand the savings provided by a solar system.
• Size, age, and slope of your roofSolar panels are most efficient when facing south and on a slope between 1540 degrees. If your roof isnt south-facing or has a steep slope, solar can still be suitable, but it may be less efficient or more expensive. Additionally, if your roof is old or deteriorating, you should replace it before installation.
• LocationAlthough climate matters when installing solar panels, your homes location determines how effective the solar panels will be. Homes that are obstructed by buildings or tall trees could prevent you from benefitting from a solar energy system.

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Homeowners Guide To Going Solar

Since 2008, hundreds of thousands of solar panels have popped up across the country as an increasing number of Americans choose to power their daily lives with the suns energy. Thanks in part to the Solar Energy Technologies Office’s investments, the cost of going solar goes down every year. You may be considering the option of adding a solar energy system to your homes roof or finding another way to harness the suns energy. While theres no one-size-fits-all solar solution, here are some resources that can help you figure out whats best for you. Consider these questions before you go solar.

See the Spanish version here. Vea la versión en español aquí.

How does solar work?

There are two primary technologies that can harness the suns power and turn it into electricity. The first is the one youre likely most familiar with photovoltaics, or PV. These are the panels youve seen on rooftops or in fields. When the sun shines onto a solar panel, photons from the sunlight are absorbed by the cells in the panel, which creates an electric field across the layers and causes electricity to flow. Learn more about how PV works.

Is my home suitable for solar panels?

How do I start the process of going solar?

Can I install solar myself?

How much power can I generate with solar?

Will I save money by going solar?

Can I get financing for solar?

How can I find state incentives and tax breaks that will help me go solar?

Is solar safe?

What does mean?