Frequently Asked Questions
“Earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour than the world uses in a year.”
General Questions
How does solar power work?
Will solar work on my home?
What happens when I add an electric vehicle?
Will I need to adapt my home for solar power?
Will my utility bill really be that low?
Will I need new appliances, or changes to my home electric wiring if I go solar?
Should I hold off for newer technology?
What are the components of a solar power system?
What size system do I need?
What kind of maintenance is required?
Is solar power reliable?
How long will my panels last? Are there warranties?
Do I need or want a battery back-up system?
What happens at night? What happens when it’s cloudy?
What happens during a black out?
What will my utility bill look like once I go solar?
How do I take care of my solar system?
Installation Process
Is it difficult to install a system and switch over to solar power?
How long will it take to get my new solar system up and running?
What permits are needed?
What if my roof needs to be repaired or replaced after I’ve installed solar panels?
What is a grid-tied power system?
Financial Benefits
Does a solar system make financial sense?
How much will I save in energy costs of I go solar?
Will my property tax increase with solar?
Will the government really give rebates and tax incentives for going solar?
Is now a good time to buy a solar system?
Do you have financing available?
Can Time of Use (TOU) rates save me 15 – 35% more?
What are my financing options if I don’t want to pay the full amount up-front?
Solar power systems turn sunlight into electricity. Silicon wafers capture photons from sunlight and turn them into DC power. DC power is transformed into 120 volt AC power and connected to your existing electrical system. When the sun shines, you can generate more power than your home consumes (your meter will spin backwards). At night you will draw on utility company power.
If you have enough roof space and considerable unobstructed sunlight, solar works on your home. By reviewing high-resolution satellite photos of your roof, Solarrus can in most cases determine if your residence makes a good solar candidate. We will gladly schedule a solar consultation where a solar expert will visit your site and evaluate if a grid-tied solar system will produce a significant financial ROI, or in a lease scenario, produce immediate positive cash flow.
What happens when I add an electric vehicle?
If you add an electric or hybrid-electric car to your household, your electricity demand will increase significantly. In this case it makes sense to install a solar solution with higher capacity.
Will I need to adapt my home for solar power?
Solar electric power systems fit seamlessly into homes. Your electricity will work just the as it did before; however you will now reap the rewards of reliable, practical, environmentally responsible, and lower cost solar energy.
Will my utility bill really be that low?
When you generate solar power your electricity bill drops. How much you will save depends on the size of your solar system, its efficiency and your electricity consumption. Solarrus will design your system to meet your goals, or perhaps your goals will be similar to other customers who desire to maximize Return on Investment (ROI), cash flow, and minimize their utility bills.
Will I need new appliances, or changes to my home electric wiring if I go solar?
Your internal home electric system will not be affected by adding solar. There is no need to make changes. You will see is a big reduction in your monthly electricity bill.
Should I hold off for new technology?
Solarrus has excellent technology at historically low prices. Now is a good time to install solar. Solar efficiencies have historically increased slowly, recent solar panel costs have fallen, and government is offering incentives. Solarrus believes now is an excellent time to install a grid-tied solar system with the current combination of technology, cost, and incentives.
What are the components of a grid-tied solar power system?
Solar Cells: Solar power semiconductor cells are the core of a photovoltaic solar energy system. Solar cells convert light energy into electricity.
Solar Panel: Many cells are combined into a solar panel that also includes a sturdy frame for the system, electrical connections and mounting hardware – secured to the roof or other structure.
Inverter: An “inverter,” usually installed on the backside of each solar panel OR outside of your home, takes the DC output from the cells and transforms it into usable AC power.
Electric Panel: Electricity will be sent from the inverter to your “electric panel” (or “breaker box”). Your meter will spin backward when your solar system produces more electricity than you need and will spin forward at night.
Utility Grid: Electricity going to and from your electric provider.
Every home is unique; the size of your system will depend on your energy needs, roof space and solar goals. Residential solar systems are typically 2-10 kilowatts.
A Solarrus consultation will determine a system size to maximize your cash flow or investment return by installing solar. Your consumption history and predicted future electricity demand, and other situational variables will give Solarrus the inputs necessary to conduct a thorough analysis.
This analysis should also take into account your discount rate, the electric cost escalation rate, your tax rate, as well as incentive programs (rebates, tax credits, accelerated depreciation, etc.).
Typically Solarrus customers’ ask Solarrus to design a system to maximize financial gain given their previous energy usage, and their predicted energy usage.
Besides an occasional cleaning with de-ionized water to maximize solar panel efficiency, your solar energy system needs little maintenance; it has no moving parts. All your system requires is occasional cleaning, inspection, and tree pruning if tree shading is an issue or becomes an issue. Solarrus proactively monitors your system output to ensure that your system is performing optimally. If your system underperforms, Solarrus will alert you and remedy the situation. Solarrus solar solutions’ address maintenance and warrantee repairs – included as part of our standard services.
Solar solutions sold by Solarrus are exceptionally reliable. Solarrus has incredible high quality standards and uses proven, top equipment. Solarrus expects that you will generate much power well beyond your long system warranty.
How long will my panels last? Are there warranties?
Solar panels installed by Solarrus are guaranteed for 20 or 25 years. The expected service life is greater than 40 years.
Do I need a battery back-up system?
Battery systems are expensive and are not recommended with a grid-tied solar system. Solarrus solar solutions are connected to the utility grid so you always have access to a power source. If you must have a generator, or already have a generator, Solarrus can accommodate your specific situation.
What happens at night, or when the weather turns cloudy?
Power is not produced at night. When it’s cloudy, power output is reduced.
Since the amount of power your solar system generates is a direct result of sunlight, it will produce somewhat less energy during cloudy weather. Your system will not produce any energy at night. Your Solarrus power system will be interconnected to your locally utility grid, so that you can automatically begin to draw power from the grid whenever needed. Switching between solar system power and the utility grid happens seamlessly.
At night you do not produce power, and when the weather is cloudy you produce less power
What happens if there is a power interruption?
In the event of a black out, your system is designed to turn off. This safety requirement is essential so utility repair technicians can safely repair electrical lines without being zapped by the power your home solar system is feeding to the grid. Your system will automatically turn back on once power is restored from the utility company post power interruption.
What will my utility bill look like once I go solar?
Light, small, and green…Every month you will receive a statement showing how much electricity you have “sold” back to the utility (by running the meter backwards), or how much net electricity you have consumed. Then, once a year on the anniversary of your system’s interconnection, the utility will send a reconciliation statement to you and bill you for the net power you have used during the year.
How do I take care of my solar system?
Solar Power Module Care:
- The only maintenance required to keep solar production is a semi-annual washing – especially in dusty locations. De-ionized water produces best results
Inverter Care:
- Single Inverter: Keep it clean. Don’t let plants or debris accumulate around the inverter; this can cause overheating, and overheating lowers inverter efficiency.
- Micro Inverters: No maintenance required: Mean time to failure is > 300 years.
Installation Process
Is it difficult to switch over to solar power?
Solarrus makes it easy to switch to solar power. We will get your solar system up and running quickly and smoothly as possible so that you can start saving money and using clean energy. You won’t experience any changes inside your home. Small systems can be installed in just a few days.
How long will it take to get my new solar system up and running?
A typical residential roof installation takes about 2-4 days. The length of time depends on the complexity of your roof and the number of panels to be installed. The estimated installation time will be included in the design proposal presented to you by Solarrus.
What permits are needed to meet local building codes?
As part of our inclusive service, Solarrus designs systems to meet your local building codes and obtains all permits. Solarrus will take total care of your project.
What if my roof needs repairs after I’ve installed solar panels?
When a Solarrus site auditor inspects your home prior to installation, he or she will check to make sure that your roof and a solar installation are compatible. It will also be determined whether or not your roof is in good condition. Did you know that solar panels protect your roof from the elements? This can increase the lifespan of your roof.
If roof repairs are needed, Solarrus recommends that clients conduct roof repairs before solar panels are installed. If you were planning on replacing your roof in the short-term, we recommend roof replacement before installing solar panels. If you should ever need to make repairs on the roof, the solar panels will need to be removed and re-installed. Solarrus offers this service for a reasonable fee.
What is a “grid-tied” solar system?
A grid-tied solar system is a power system that is connected to utility transmission lines.
What are the benefits of a “grid-tied” solar system?
The owner of a “grid-tied” solar energy system can both buy energy from the utility and sell energy to the utility.
California’s net metering law states that utilities must permit customers with solar electric systems rated up to 1.5 MW to interconnect with the local utility grid and receive retail value compensation for the electricity sold back to the utility. The utility serves as a backup to the solar power system. Another grid-tied solar solution is Time of Use (TOU) programs (see below).
Financial Benefits of Solar Power
Does a solar system make financial sense?
Solar is a smart financial investment. You will save money on electrical costs for years to come. Your home value will increase. Customers who purchase their solar solution typically realize a strong Return on Investment (ROI).
With a Solarrus Lease you can finance your system with zero upfront investment. You can start saving from month one.
Homeowners are encouraged to try our solar calculator. The results are typically close to those you will receive after Solarrus delivers you a formal proposal.
How much will I save in energy costs of I go solar?
You can calculate your monthly electric savings by using our Solar Savings Calculator. For a precise estimate on your savings, please schedule a free solar consultation.
How can I find out if going solar is right for me?
Request a free Solar Evaluation, and we will provide you with a proposal that factors in your budget requirements, the property’s sun exposure and orientation, and your last 12 month’s kilowatt hour (kWh) use, and any other pertinent 1st through 3rd order variables.
Will my property tax increase with solar?
Solar will immediately increase the value of your home. You will not experience a property tax increase in California.
Will the government really give solar rebates and tax incentives? How long do I have to wait?
The incentives and rebates are both genuine and sizeable. Both state and federal governments offer remarkable financial incentives for homes to choose solar.
Is now a good time to buy a solar system?
Now is the perfect time to switch to solar. Federal and state governments are offering generous rebates and incentives to go solar; however, these programs are designed to reward earlier adopters of solar power more, so the rebate amount per project continues to drop as the allotted funds are consumed. In additions, solar can dramatically reduce your utility bill and will hedge your utility rates from future increases.
Do you have financing available?
Yes. Solarrus offers leasing and loan solutions. Now you too can start experiencing the benefits of solar power —without capital investment or equipment purchase if you so choose. We install and maintain the equipment on your site. You just pay a low monthly payment that is lower than your old average payment. This assumes your energy consumption pattern remains similar.
Does Time of Use (TOU) save me 15 – 40%?
Most utilities sell electricity at different rate tiers. For example, PGE’s tiers range from $0.11 for baseline electricity consumption, all the way up to $0.35 for top tier consumption (not including various adjustment and discount factors). Not surprisingly, owners of small and medium-size houses find themselves in high rate tiers. A Solarrus solar solution is the solution.
These rate structures make solar power grid-connected systems even more economical. For example, PG&E’s TOU rate allows you to run your electric meter backwards at up to $0.44 per kWh during summer weekday afternoons (when your solar energy system generates its maximum amount of power), and purchase electricity at all other times at $0.12 per kWh. This TOU billing method effectively improves the economics of your solar power electric system by 15 – 40%.
What are my financing options if I don’t want to pay the full amount up-front?
Because each Solarrus customers have unique energy and financing needs, we have a variety of competitive financing options. Your Solarrus consultant will work with you to find the financing option to best fits your needs.