9 Questions To Ask Before Buying Solar Panels

Despite the immense solar energy generating potential of the United States, the federal government insists on using millions of dollars in tax subsidies to prop up the dying fossil fuel industry.

Thank goodness consumers can see what the government cannot: solar (and all other forms of renewable energy) is the energy source of the future. As such, the industry expects to see thousands of new residential solar arrays purchased in 2012, especially in California.

Deciding to invest in a residential solar system is one of the biggest decisions a homeowner can make, besides the purchase of the home itself. To help homeowners and landlords better understand their options, residential provider American Solar Direct offers these nine essential factors to consider when seeking energy independence.

1. Lease versus own? An average home-solar installation can cost $25,000 or more. The easier alternative is to have a licensed contractor install the system and offer lease financing for little or no money up front. The installer owns and maintains the system, not to mention handles securing permits and managing the many other small details leading up to turning on the system. Solar leasing is affordable for many homeowners because they immediately see savings from lower electric bills and someone else worries about the system’s maintenance.

2. Net metering? When a rooftop solar system produces more energy than needed for a home, the excess is supplied to the local electric utility. Homeowners can see some of their greatest monthly cost reductions when their rooftop solar panels are providing energy back into the system.

3. Rebates? Since a leased solar panel system is “owned” by the installer, rebates will go to the company. This enables the installer to further reduce the overall price of the solar project, which in turn lowers the lease payment. Rebates will vary by region. It also is important to know that some rebates are currently scheduled to expire in a few years.

4. In-house service vs. outsourcing? Does a solar installer have all staff and services – from customer representatives, to installers, to ongoing maintenance and financing – within their company? Or, do they provide some or all of these services through third-party entities? The “continuum of care” is usually more guaranteed by an installer providing these services by their own employees.

5. Home values? Several current studies show that a home’s value increases when it contains the best available energy efficiency devices. Why? Because a home’s overall “operating cost” decreases as it uses less water, gas and electricity. Rooftop solar is becoming a standard feature on new homes for this reason.

6. What if I move? Typically, a homeowner can assign a solar lease to the purchaser (following a simple credit check of the new owner). Studies show an increase in the percentage of prospective homebuyers actively seeking residences with multiple “green” features, such as solar.

7. Remain energy efficient? With solar panels on the roof, it is tempting to crank up the air conditioning, keep lights on throughout the house or otherwise revert to energy wasting habits. Since some power must still come from an electric utility, being energy efficient ensures the lowest monthly costs – even as solar dramatically reduces the amount of utility-supplied power purchased on a monthly basis.

8. Appearance? Some state laws prohibit homeowner associations, municipalities and other organizations from enforcing rules that would prevent a homeowner from installing rooftop solar. But, you also don’t want to upset your neighbor. After determining a home has enough roof space for solar, an installer will usually create a custom design to ensure a solar panel “array” will blend into the roof as much as possible.

9. New technologies? The rate at which solar cells convert sunlight into electricity has increased since the first cells were made. While gains continue to be made, they are at small incremental rates. Therefore, the panels bought today should continue to be very efficient for their 20- to 30-year life. As solar becomes more popular, companies also are developing new solar technologies and cell designs. However, until these designs are incorporated into mass production, these more “exotic” solar panels may be too expensive for the typical homeowner.

Related Reading:

The Solar Power Funding Avalanche

3 Solar Financing Options Most Americans Don’t Know About

Communities Crowdsource Clean Energy With Solar Mosaic

Image Credit: Flickr – joncallas

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Tim C.

11:01AM PST on Feb 18, 2012

send a green star

Allen A.

10:59AM PST on Feb 18, 2012

What about life cycle? What is the length of time before the panels need to be replaced?
Are they recyclable and how does that work?
There are many hazardous chemicals and materials involved in the manufacture process and incorporated in the panel... these questions rate being answered.

Nathan M.

9:01AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

Solar Panels are very expensive
and it takes about 15 years to pay back
The only option for home owners is to try a
DIY Solar Panels Solution - like this website suggest
http://topdiysolarpanels.com/blog/

Michael C.

9:04AM PST on Jan 30, 2012

The FIRST thing to learn about SOLAR is that they are called SOLAR MODULES...not panels.

A solar panel is one that is utilized to produce hot water for domestic use or hydronic heating.

As for todays solar market, beware...there are so many conmen that have entered the biz. So many ex-used car salespersons, former real estate salespersons, all of which is good for sales and their personal financial wealth growth but perhaps dangerous for the consumer.

Be sure that your installer is NABCEP certified (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners). There is no sense of paying someone to learn on the job...your job.

We have had solar and wind for over 30 years, just imagine...no electric bill for all those years. Yes, it was an expensive proposition but I never regretted it. We produce our own fuel, BioDiesel, have 2 composting toilets, we use a Staber 2000 washing machine, 3 Sundanzer Refers and a freezer which operate on 240 watts of solar modules.

Easy to do, but first, do your homework. When it comes to these solar sales people trust but verify. After all, this is America.

Siets D.

6:12AM PST on Jan 30, 2012

Good to think about for when/if I get my own place.

Daria W.

10:41PM PST on Jan 28, 2012

I love my 19 year old solar hot water system and passive solar heat. Although I live in a great area for solar leasing is not available. Net metering has been ruled out by the municipality owned electric company. They gladly accept excess power but they don't compensate for it and charge all solar homes that produce excess a monthly fee for the use of a meter that can track our contribution (run backwards)! The cost of more solar is out of my reach. I did some research on leasing solar and found that many areas where it is available are not anywhere near as viable for solar as here. We get 75 to 80% of possible sunshine summer and winter and up to 90% in the spring and fall. I'd love to know how solar can be so discouraged in any area with such good potential benefit...

Andrew C.

10:26AM PST on Jan 28, 2012

After that use the energy monitor to get a general idea about how much electricity you are using on a regular basis, and consult your electric bills. This will give you some idea about what you need as a minimum system for your home.

You will notice power spikes when certain appliances are switched on (water heater, washer, dryer, etc), but you’re looking for what the “always on” KwH is like.

Shop around once you have that information. You will want a system that generates .5 to 1.0 KwH more than what you actually need, and you will also want to address what your nightly power consumption is by having enough stored battery power.

By doing all of the above, I have discovered that I can run my house completely on this 5 Kwh system

http://www.amazon.com/Grape-Solar-GS-2300-KIT-Residential-Grid-Tied/dp/B0049SPBL2

It’s $10K without installation, and batteries, but if I had this in place it would pay for itself in 3 years because I would not have an electric bill.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET: Whatever system you get, make sure you put a grounded lightning rod near your solar installation that is 4 feet taller than it.

What I have described is for an off-grid solar system. Call your power company for details about on-grid solar systems if you are interested in being compensated for any excesses electricity.

Subscribe to, and watch this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin

Buy his book too. =)

We should give all the middle/poor class people solar panels so they can charge electricity back to their local electric companies. Give them electric cars too so that they never have to pay for gas, and make sure those cars have solar panels on them so they are always charging. The financial offset alone would dramatically help our economy.

Of course stupid people would rather you stay dependent on FILTHY energy sources like oil, and nuclear power. Solar power would upset the plans of stupid people to murder the middle/poor classes.

Cheap solar depends on what you buy, and what you are willing to do to use it.

They have private installation companies, and they even have one that's partnered with Lowes.
Businesses/stores get a bulk solar discount which they (hopefully) pass on to you, but they tack on the price of labor.

Doing it yourself saves you that cost, and it's really not that hard, but that does mean you have to do it yourself, and depending on your level of skill that can be worse than the extra cost.

Get these two things:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-TLD100-Thermal-Detector/dp/B001LMTW2S

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-EM100B-Energy-Monitor/dp/B001ELJKLE

Find your ac/heat leaks, and seal them up. Then change out all your light bulbs inside/outside your house with LEDs. Preferably 1 watt, and white, but you can usually get better discounts with non-white colors. You can double up in areas that need more light.

After that use the ene

10:25AM PST on Jan 28, 2012

Solar Power
If you own solar panels you are producing your own electricity by harnessing the power of the sun. If you sell that electricity back to your local power company you are engaging in a transaction no different from what your local fast food restaurant does. You make the electric cheeseburger with your solar panel stove, they pay you for it, and then the electric company stuffs it in it's fat face and eats it. Payment for services rendered!

Harnessing the power of the sun does not make you a socialist, commie, homosexual, or any other closet bogeyman that stupid people are so afraid of. It makes you an intelligent human being that's able to understand that if you can legally get something for free then why pay for it? If you can make money by legally getting something for free, and then selling it then why not do it? Anything less is stupid.

Put solar panels that create NO WASTE, and produce CLEAN ENERGY on your house. You will NEVER have an electric bill again, and if you produce enough energy you can charge it back to the grid, and GIVE the electric company a bill.

Most states will allow you to make up to $1000 a month or more charging electricity back to your local electric company. That's a $12,000 a year direct income that coupled with savings from not having an electric bill would net you around $15000+ yearly.

We should give all the middle/poor class people solar panels so they can charge electricity back to their local electric companies. Give th