You gots themz solar panels on your house?

[kenny]

We're considering it, but want to hear your horror, or success, stories.

Anyone?

 

[lyra]

What do you want to hear? Where I live if you produce your own electricity you have to sell it back to the city. I don't know why that is. I like the idea of solar, most people use it to heat their pools. Here it's ridiculously expensive. Would love to hear how it works out for you thugh.

 

[kenny]

Long Post Alert!

Two days ago, DH, Bibi, and I went for a walk and stopped to chat with a nice gal we assumed was a neighbor.
Soon it was clear she was a door-2-door salesperson for a solar company.

Here's our experience so far, 2 days into the 6-8 week approval process.
I can back out up until the last day, installation day, no fee.

First of all, we use much less electricity than usual ...

No dishwasher, clothes washer, or dryer.
We only heat 1 bedroom we all sleep in for 2 or 3 winter months.
No garage door opener.
No garbage disposal.
Gas water heater.
No electric cars.
All LED lights.
No Jacuzzi.
No sauna.
No pool.
No AC.

Our 1400 sq ft modest 100-yr old house near a So. Cal. beach is never very hot, humid, or cold.
It has that original old-school heavy dense lath & plaster walls, so it stays relatively cool in summer and warm in winter.
Then all year long I open and close windows at strategic times to let heat in or out, day or night, summer and winter to take advantage of the sun's heat in winter and keep it out in the summer.
I also install reflective mylar film on ALL windows that get direct sun in the summer.
This keeps house 10 to 15 degrees cooler than outside, even today when it hit 90°F.
The trusty cool Pacific Ocean breeze is a Thor-Vishnu-Budah-Jehovah-Karma-Luck-Glob-send which was factored into the house's price in the high 100 Ks almost 30 years ago.

The company is not just providing the solar panels, but also a Tesla back up batter and a no-hassle comprehensive affordable plan/project that takes a zillion things into account.

They handle EVERYTHING, for about $130 a month for 25 years with annual increases of 3.5%, compared to our utility's increases averaging 13% annually.
Zero upfront expense, and no loan because you're renting, not buying, the equipment, with 25 years warranty, and 10 year on the Tesla battery.

If anything stops working, or roof leaks where they installed stuff, it is fixed/replaced, no charge for parts or labor.
No hassles with the city permits, since they handle it all.
No interaction whatsoever with the IRS as it is the company that applies for and get any rebates - if Trump hasn't yet eliminated them.

Yesterday I began the 6-week 2-way approval process.
If both parties still want to proceed they install the equipment.
2 weeks after that we stop paying for electricity from the utility.

Any excess power the panels generate (especially in the the summer) gets automatically sold back the utility company, though for much less per KW than the utility charges us when we buy it from them.

What did I forget?
I'll keep y'all updated

 

[Lookinagain]

I don't have solar, but with what sounds like little electric use, it might be a good economic decision for you. I'm guessing you don't ever plan on selling your home, but things change, and just be aware that most solar contracts require them to approve whomever takes over the solar lease (or purchase/financing contract when buying the panels) when the house is sold. Read all the fine print about that. Again, it may never happen, but you should know how they deal with the sale of the home.

 

[Karl_K]

Check home insurance costs it may kill any savings.

 

[Karl_K]

Replacing a roof with panels is insanely expensive.
How old is your roof?

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

How much are you paying now?