Questions You Must Ask When Getting Solar Panels Installed

Go Solar Group CEO, Scott Cramer, reveals solar prospect questions that result in successful solar installation and getting the best ROI on your solar panels as possible. 

10. Why Do You Want to Go Solar?

Is the decision financial, adding equity to your house, saving the planet, or a mixture of these reasons? Your answer to this question should guide which solar company you’ll want to complete your installation.

9. Whom Can I trust?

Solar is complicated. Get multiple opinions from different sources, and whether your reasons for wanting to go solar are justifiable in conjunction with your home.

8. How Much Electricity Do I Use?

A quality solar professional can help you understand your current electricity usage, and how it will impact the benefits you get from going solar.

7. How Much Am I Willing to Change My Energy Consumption Habits?

Will you compound your solar ROI with an electric vehicle, adding energy-efficient appliances, or capitalizing on power incentives?

Although it’s very rare that drastic energy consumption changes are needed in going solar, certain times of year and certain home locations may require slightly lower energy consumption to get the most out of your solar investment.

6. Is Your Roof Up for the Job?

Most rooftops are fit for residential solar projects, but if you plan on replacing it, factor that into your solar timing and decisions.

5. Will I Own or Lease through a Power Purchase Agreement?

Self-financing for a solar panels solution on your home is now cheaper than leasing, especially when considering the increase in property value you’ll get from going solar, and the relatively quick return on your investment and reduction in power bill costs.

4. Understand the Warranties in Place, and the Hardware Behind Them

Although industry standards for service and production warranty standards are consistent, the pieces of equipment to which these warranties apply can vary drastically. Be sure to ask questions so you know which are estimates and which are guarantees.

3. Are You NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) Certified?

The NABCEP Certification is the gold standard among solar installation companies and other renewable energy services. Make sure whoever installs your solar module is certified by this entity.

2. How Much System Maintenance Will Your Panels and Racking Require?

While it is helpful to know how your inverter works, a reputable solar vendor will usually install a system requiring no maintenance of the installed parts. If snow falls on the panels in the wintertime, using a panel rake to clean them may be the only work necessary.

1. How Am I Going to Reward Myself with All these Savings?

Over the span of a solar system’s lifetime (30+years), the average homeowner saves at least $20,000. Will it help you retire early, put your kids through college, or serve as a down payment on a new, bigger home you’ll be able to afford after getting an increased sale price for your existing home? The possibilities are as endless as they are exciting.