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Solar panels contain photovoltaic (PV) cells that capture and convert sunlight into electricity. They’re wrapped in a semiconductive material, typically silicon though other materials are sometimes used. When the sun hits these cells, it is absorbed and creates the movement of electrical charges, generating energy.
Solar panels have a significant average lifespan, despite weathering the elements over the years. The industry standard for solar panel longevity is 25 to 30 years. Scheduled maintenance can help ensure your solar system meets this bar.
It’s a common misconception that solar panels can only generate energy on days with a bright sun and blue skies. However, your solar system just requires modest UV exposure to work. On days with heavy cloud cover, your system’s efficiency may fall slightly but you can still generate energy.
Solar systems are very resilient. However, like any piece of your home, it’s important to ensure proper function over time. Solar maintenance can help prevent falls in efficiency. Another aspect of solar maintenance is providing necessary updates that can stop future problems from developing. Critter guards can be installed to protect wiring, while ice guards prevent the formation of dangerous ice dams.
When you go solar, you substantially cut your own carbon footprint. Going solar can reduce your household’s carbon emissions by 8.5 tons on average each year, the equivalent of taking three cars off the road entirely. In addition, solar is less harmful to waterways than fossil fuels, and less toxic to local ecosystems as a whole. Going solar helps you do your part for the planet we all share.
The benefits of solar don’t stop at the environment though. It’s also a significant step towards reducing your energy bill each month. Texas has a high rate of return for energy savings, with an average lifetime savings of over $41,000.
In addition to contributing to a cleaner environment and helping you save on energy costs, solar also comes with a benefit you might not know about: increased property values. On average, property values increase by 4.2% after going solar. However, with ATX Solar’s Pearl Certification process for resale, your property values can rise even higher than they would after a standard installation.
This is one of the most common questions we receive. Unfortunately, the answer is complicated. Like any other home improvement project, solar installation can vary widely based on crucial factors. Some include:
With all of that being said, we can formulate an average total installation cost. In Texas, installations typically start around $15,000 for a smaller 5kW system.
Yes! At ATX Solar, we make solar more accessible with excellent financing options, including $0 down loans that make it easy to go solar today.
If you aren’t interested in purchasing panels, but still want to reap the benefits of going solar, there is another option: a solar lease. With a solar lease agreement, an installation company will install panels on your property, and then sell you the electricity generated at a substantial discount as opposed to your traditional utility provider.
However, because you don’t own the system, you won’t be able to access solar incentives such as the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit.
No, there is no lien on the home. The lender files a UCC-1 or fixture filing, meaning that the lien is only on the panels not on the house. So if you decide to stop paying for them, then they’ll just be removed from your roof. But if you pay your power bill every month, there’s no reason not to just pay a solar payment that’s lower and will never go up.
Yes! All of our proposals are custom built to your electric needs, so we can be sure that we’re helping you lock in a monthly bill that isn’t much more than your average and hopefully saves you money in your first month! With us, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solar system. Typically, a lower electric bill is actually beneficial when looking into solar. Especially if you don’t have a lot of roof space available, because you’re more likely to be able to fit the number of panels needed to offset your usage from the grid.
Of course, your electric bill may seem low now but, just like everything else, it will go up! According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average price of residential electricity in the US went from 13.49c/kWh in Sept 2020 to 14.19c/kWh in Sept 2021. That’s a 5.2% increase in one year!
Going solar is an involved process, but with a dedicated team in your corner like ATX Solar, we work to simplify each step. We’ve summarized our approach below, but you can read a more in-depth breakdown here.
Project timelines can vary widely, impacted by factors like funding approval, permit approval, installer backlogs, and how long it takes for Permission to Operate to be granted. On average, an installation will be completed within 2 to 6 months. However, depending on the factors listed above, this can sometimes take longer.
Roof mounted solar and ground mounted solar generally function the same. For most residential and commercial clients, roof mounted solar is the optimal choice to make the most of the available space on a given property. Ground mounted solar can work well for those with large plots of land, but may come with additional complications if there isn’t an available electrical hookup nearby.
Solar can be installed on roofs of all shapes and sizes. However, some roofs are better suited for solar than others. When analyzing your roof, we’ll take a look at its angle (if it has optimal sun exposure), its steepness, and how much shade covers it. All of these factors can impact how well solar will work for your list.
Yes! Flat roofs work for going solar so long as they’re not impeded by excess shade. A custom-designed solar system can function great on flat roofs.
HOA rules vary widely from community to community, and can directly limit what sort of home improvements you can make. In neighborhoods with solar restrictions, we’ve seen customers have success by gaining exceptions from their HOA. Additionally, we’ve seen customers gather the support of their neighbors to repeal HOA bylaws that restrict solar installation.
If your HOA allows going solar but requires you to get a permit, we’ll obtain it on your behalf during the permitting phase of the project.
There are a lot of great solar panel brands out there, but for our money, REC panels are just a cut above. They’ve been an industry leader for decades, and what really sticks out to us is the top-notice efficiency, excellent longevity, and constant innovation they deliver. We exclusively install REC panels because we believe excellent workmanship needs to be supported by elite product selection.
Monitoring your panel production is an essential part of owning the system. At ATX Solar, we utilize Enphase inverters, which come with the proprietary Enphase Enlighten monitoring app. It allows you to track production to view your generation and usage statistics as well as identify if there are unpredicted drops that are warning signs of possible system damage.
Solar Accessories and Add-Ons
Battery storage systems allow you to keep the excess electricity generated on site. Without battery storage, if you generate more energy than you use within a given day, the excess will be sent back to the grid. In return you’ll often receive discount credits, or cash via a solar buyback program. With battery storage, you can keep the excess energy generated to use at a later time.
While not identical to a generator, a battery storage system can be used to provide electricity during a grid outage. This is one of the reasons solar batteries are popular with solar system owners.
No, solar batteries are just an additional accessory. You can go solar without needing to also install a battery.
A surprising truth about solar panels is that small panels pose one of the greatest threats to their longevity. Small animals, such as squirrels, possums, raccoons, and birds, can damage solar panels while in search of a warm place to burrow or nest. Critter guards are installable barriers that prevent animals from damaging the base of panels and the connective wiring that allows them to function.
One downside of solar panels is that their smooth surfaces can create dangerous situations during heavy snows. Ice dams can form, and slide off in one large chunk, creating a hazard for you and your property. Snow guards help break up the formation of ice dams so they don’t pose a threat. Fortunately, most Texans in the greater Austin area won’t need to worry about snow guards, as ice dams typically only form in heavier snows.
Maintenance
Solar panels are known for being resilient. They face constant exposure to changing weather conditions and still maintain strong efficiency for years. However, like any part of your home, regular care is important to keep them in optimal condition. Once or twice per year, you’ll want to perform an inspection of your panels or have one performed by a solar professional.
The most common form of ongoing panel upkeep is cleaning to ensure dirt doesn’t reduce the capture efficiency of your panels.
Solar panels are vulnerable to any of the common afflictions that can damage your home’s exterior, as well as a few specific ones. Small critters can damage panel cells or connective wiring. Fallen debris such as tree limbs can crack the surface of a panel. Hail can also be particularly devastating to solar systems. More localized problems include system overheating, or water entry if a seal is broken. Regular inspections can help identify the risk of some of these problems and deploy solutions to prevent them.
A sturdy, well-maintained roof is essential to support the added weight of a solar system. One of the first steps in our consultation process is to determine the age and condition of your roof. If your roof is near the end of its 20-25 year lifespan, or is currently damaged, we won’t be able to complete a solar installation until the roof is replaced. We work with excellent roofing partners to help you create an efficient replacement and solar installation experience.
Solar incentives are offerings by federal, state, and local governments, as well as utility providers, that help offset some of the costs of going solar. These offsets may come upfront or over time. They come in various forms, from tax breaks to solar buyback programs and everything in between.
The Federal ITC is a 30% federal tax credit on the total cost of your system installation. It’s a substantial boost to help offset the cost of going solar/
Unfortunately, solar incentives require system ownership to access. As such, if you enter into a leasing agreement, you cannot benefit from solar incentives.
When your system generates excess energy and you don’t have battery storage, the unused electricity is sent back to the grid. Many Austin area utility providers offer solar buyback programs, where you are paid for the excess energy delivered at a set rate.
The solar revolution is here in Texas, and for good reason. Homeowners are ready to reap the financial benefits of making the switch while also reducing their impact on the climate. Reach out today to get started with ATX Solar.
1401 Lavaca St, #942
Austin, TX 78701
TECL 37831
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