The customer does not receive a federal tax credit. Instead, the solar PPA financier receives it. There are different annual escalator options, i.e. – 0% (fixed), 0.99%, 1.99%, 2.99%, 3.5%, 4.5%, etc.

You can also pre-pay all the monthly payments at the 0% (fixed) rate. A customer looking to purchase the system outright (cash) might consider a pre-paid PPA instead as the customer would receive all of the benefits outlined which may not be included when purchase a system outright.

Fully covered – maintenance, monitoring, repairs, production guarantee. Set it and forget it.

We work with some of the largest and most established PPA financiers but in the unlikely event that a company goes out of business, the agreement gets transferred to a new PPA financier.

Generally, the roof leak warranty is for 10 years. If there is a roof leak caused by the installation of the solar system within the first 10 years, it is fixed and any damage caused by the leak both outside and inside is fully covered or reimbursed. Aside from roof leaks, if the customer wishes to redo their roof, they have to pay for the cost of removing and reinstalling the solar panels. The current cost is between $200 and $250 per solar panel.

A. Transfer agreement to the new owner. Buyer can qualify with a 650 FICO credit check or the buyer or seller can pay a $250 credit waiver. B. Add the system buyout price into the contract and sale of the home. The buyer then owns the system free and clear. C. Prepay the remaining payments and transfer only the use of the system to the buyer.

Liens on homes are more of a thing of the past. Now days, if you obtain a solar loan or PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) for your solar system, there is no lien placed on the home. ​ In the case of a solar loan or PPA, a UCC-1 fixture filing is placed on the system itself which allows the solar company to retain its right to collect its rightful payments or take the solar system back in event of default. If you sell your house, the solar company will be notified that they are either going to be paid off in full through escrow or the new homeowner will be taking over the PPA (most solar companies policy is that the new owner must meet a 650 credit requirement or pay $250 to assume it). If you try to refinance the house, the solar company will be notified and will work with your refinance lender to allow you to refinance without any hassle.

A solar PPA does not affect your property taxes. A PPA is a solar service and, therefore, is not seen as an improvement or addition to the home in the eyes of the tax assessors office. ​ It is optional to add your solar PPA to your insurance. Most PPA financiers cover everything for you so you don’t need to add it to your insurance. However, other companies suggest you let your insurance company know as a precaution. In these situations, the insurance company would just want to know what the approximate value of the system is so that they can add it to the total replacement cost of the home. So your homeowners insurance would increase slightly due to the increase in replacement cost of your home.

When you have solar, it produces energy while the sun is out during the day. That energy provides power to the home during the day. Any extra energy that is unused is stored in a battery, if one is added to your system. There may be excess energy that is sent back to the grid and your utility company will give you credits in your account with them. Once the sun goes down, you will use the stored energy in the battery, if applicable. If you use all the power that was stored in the battery then you will begin to draw power from the grid. Your utility company will charge you for that energy. In addition to that, your utility company may have a small monthly connection fee (most utility providers have a $10-20 monthly connection fee). But they will first use the credits in your account to offset any charges from the power you used from them and/or the monthly connection fee. Our design specialists will review your annual usage and usage habits to design your system appropriately so that you minimize the amount of power you would draw from your utility company, if any. A perfectly designed system would result in you not having any charges to pay to your utility company. This is our goal and why we train our design specialists to review your account carefully to customize your solar system to meet your exact energy needs.

On average, it takes 2 to 3 weeks from getting started to the installation of your solar system. The only times you will be needed are for the initial site survey which takes 30 minutes and then on the day of installation, you are needed for the first hour in case the installation crew needs anything. It can take another month or two afterwards to get your system active and running. If you choose to do a solar loan or solar PPA, the first payment starts 30-45 days after your system is activated so you don’t have to worry about paying when it is not running yet. For more information, you can review the 7 Steps to Solar in our menu.

With a solar loan, there are different lengths of loans. Customer must apply for the solar loan with credit and income qualifications. The customer receives a 30% federal tax credit on the loan amount taken out. The tax credit applies to the tax year in which the solar system is installed. If the tax credit amount is greater than the customer’s tax liability, the customer can claim the remaining credit on the following year/s taxes. Customers can claim the remaining credit balance until fully claimed up to 2032. Regardless of the length of the loan, the first 18 months of the loan have an introductory lower payment which would increase to a higher payment on month 19 thru the remaining term of the loan. If the customer makes a payment to the loan company (lender) worth the same amount as the 30% federal tax credit within the first 18 months of the loan, then the payments will not increase and remain the same for the remaining length of the loan.

Depending on the installer, there may not be any production guarantees, maintenance, repairs or monitoring. There are manufacturer warranties on the equipment and the installer has warranties on their installation work. But, generally speaking, the customer will have a greater responsibility in assuring everything is working with their system and the manufacturer of the equipment and/or installer may be a little slower to respond to concerns or warranty claims.

Most installers carry solar insurance. In addition to covering a plethora of maintenance, repair and roof issues, solar insurance transfers the warranties and coverage to a new installer or company should the previous one go out of business. The same applies to the loan company (lender) thru insurance/bond.

Generally, the roof leak warranty is for 10 years. If there is a roof leak caused by the installation of the solar system within the first 10 years, it is fixed and any damage caused by the leak both outside and inside is fully covered or reimbursed. Aside from roof leaks, if the customer wishes to redo their roof, they have to pay for the cost of removing and reinstalling the solar panels. The current cost is between $200 and $250 per solar panel.

A. Transfer loan to the buyer. Buyer must apply to qualify for the loan (credit and income qualifications apply). Note – some loan companies (lenders) require that the 30% federal tax credit be paid to them upon the sale of the home. This, effectively, reduces the loan balance and the remaining payments stay the same for the remainder of the loan. B. Add the remaining loan balance to the contract and sale of the home so the buyer will own the system free & clear

Liens on homes are more of a thing of the past. Now days, if you obtain a solar loan or PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) for your solar system, there is no lien placed on the home. ​ In the case of a solar loan or PPA, a UCC-1 fixture filing is placed on the system itself which allows the solar company to retain its right to collect its rightful payments or take the solar system back in event of default. If you sell your house, the solar company will be notified that they are either going to be paid off in full through escrow or the new homeowner will be taking over the PPA (most solar companies policy is that the new owner must meet a 650 credit requirement or pay $250 to assume it). If you try to refinance the house, the solar company will be notified and will work with your refinance lender to allow you to refinance without any hassle.

A solar loan may affect your property taxes. It varies from county to county in regards to how strict they may be. But, generally speaking, obtaining a solar loan is viewed by the tax assessors office as making an improvement to your property and, therefore, raises the value of your property. ​ When you have a solar loan, it is optional to add the solar system to your insurance but highly recommended. You should let your insurance company know as a precaution. In these situations, the insurance company would want to know what the loan payoff is so that they can add it to the total replacement cost of the home. So your homeowners insurance would increase slightly due to the increase in replacement cost of your home.

When you have solar, it produces energy while the sun is out during the day. That energy provides power to the home during the day. Any extra energy that is unused is stored in a battery, if one is added to your system. There may be excess energy that is sent back to the grid and your utility company will give you credits in your account with them. Once the sun goes down, you will use the stored energy in the battery, if applicable. If you use all the power that was stored in the battery then you will begin to draw power from the grid. Your utility company will charge you for that energy. In addition to that, your utility company may have a small monthly connection fee (most utility providers have a $10-20 monthly connection fee). But they will first use the credits in your account to offset any charges from the power you used from them and/or the monthly connection fee. Our design specialists will review your annual usage and usage habits to design your system appropriately so that you minimize the amount of power you would draw from your utility company, if any. A perfectly designed system would result in you not having any charges to pay to your utility company. This is our goal and why we train our design specialists to review your account carefully to customize your solar system to meet your exact energy needs.

On average, it takes 2 to 3 weeks from getting started to the installation of your solar system. The only times you will be needed are for the initial site survey which takes 30 minutes and then on the day of installation, you are needed for the first hour in case the installation crew needs anything. It can take another month or two afterwards to get your system active and running. If you choose to do a solar loan or solar PPA, the first payment starts 30-45 days after your system is activated so you don’t have to worry about paying when it is not running yet. For more information, you can review the 7 Steps to Solar in our menu.

Customer pays a lump sum and receives a 30% federal tax credit on the purchase price for the year in which the solar system was installed. The tax credit applies to the tax year in which the solar system is installed. If the tax credit amount is greater than the customer’s tax liability, the customer can claim the remaining credit on the following year/s taxes. Customers can claim the remaining credit balance until fully claimed up to 2032.

Depending on the installer, there may not be any production guarantees, maintenance, repairs or monitoring. There are manufacturer warranties on the equipment and the installer has warranties on their installation work. But, generally speaking, the customer will have a greater responsibility in assuring everything is working with their system and the manufacturer of the equipment and/or the installer may be a little slower to respond to concerns or warranty claims.

Most installers carry solar insurance. In addition to covering a plethora of maintenance, repair and roof issues, solar insurance transfers the warranties and coverage to a new installer or company should the previous one go out of business.

Generally, the roof leak warranty is for 10 years. If there is a roof leak caused by the installation of the solar system within the first 10 years, it is repaired and any damage caused by the leak both outside and inside is fully covered or reimbursed. Aside from roof leaks, if the customer wishes to redo their roof, they have to pay for the cost of removing and reinstalling the solar panels. The current cost is between $200 and $250 per solar panel.

Owning your solar system outright may affect your property taxes. It varies from county to county in regards to how strict they may be. But, generally speaking, adding a solar system that you bought outright is viewed by the tax assessors office as making an improvement to your property and, therefore, raises the value of your property. ​ When you own your solar system outright, it is optional to add the solar system to your insurance but highly recommended. You should let your insurance company know as a precaution. In these situations, the insurance company would want to know what the replacement cost of the solar system is so that they can add it to the total replacement cost of the home. So your homeowners insurance would increase slightly due to the increase in replacement cost of your home.

When you have solar, it produces energy while the sun is out during the day. That energy provides power to the home during the day. Any extra energy that is unused is stored in a battery, if one is added to your system. There may be excess energy that is sent back to the grid and your utility company will give you credits in your account with them. Once the sun goes down, you will use the stored energy in the battery, if applicable. If you use all the power that was stored in the battery then you will begin to draw power from the grid. Your utility company will charge you for that energy. In addition to that, your utility company may have a small monthly connection fee (most utility providers have a $10-20 monthly connection fee). But they will first use the credits in your account to offset any charges from the power you used from them and/or the monthly connection fee. Our design specialists will review your annual usage and usage habits to design your system appropriately so that you minimize the amount of power you would draw from your utility company, if any. A perfectly designed system would result in you not having any charges to pay to your utility company. This is our goal and why we train our design specialists to review your account carefully to customize your solar system to meet your exact energy needs.

On average, it takes 2 to 3 weeks from getting started to the installation of your solar system. The only times you will be needed are for the initial site survey which takes 30 minutes and then on the day of installation, you are needed for the first hour in case the installation crew needs anything. It can take another month or two afterwards to get your system active and running. If you choose to do a solar loan or solar PPA, the first payment starts 30-45 days after your system is activated so you don’t have to worry about paying when it is not running yet. For more information, you can review the 7 Steps to Solar in our menu.