Common questions, answered.
An Introduction to Solar
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The sun's light (and all light) contains energy. When light hits certain materials in the solar panel, the light energy turns into an electrical current, which is used to help power your home.
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Batteries are charged from the solar panels and from the utility grid. The batteries can be discharged every day to offset or eliminate the most expensive peak hour electricity. This helps reduce your electric bill. During a power outage, the batteries allow the solar panels to operate and will help power your house during the outage.
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It reduces your electrical costs, improves your energy self-reliance, provides more reliable electricity, and adds value to your home.
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It depends on whether or not there is the necessary amount of sunlight and a sufficient amount of exposed roof space. This will be determined during the free consultation visit.
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No. Solar power electric systems will fit seamlessly into your home or business.
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Yes! When you begin to generate your own solar power, your utility bill will drop significantly. How much you can save will depend on the size of your solar system and your electricity usage. When your solar system generates more electricity than your building can immediately use, your excess power flows back to the utility grid and your meter literally spins backward!
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No. Thanks to California’s Active Solar Energy Tax Exclusion, homeowners can install solar panels today without fear of their property taxes going up. This incentive protects homeowners from any impact on their property taxes through Jan. 1, 2025. It’s an excellent opportunity to move to solar—just be sure your installation follows the exclusion’s code.
Questions about Solar Systems
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Net metering allows utility customers to offset some or all of their energy use with self-produced renewable energy.
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Yes. We continue to evaluate new technology and will offer it to our customers once it becomes a reliable and cost effective option.
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Every home and business is different. The size of your system will depend on your energy needs, roof space and solar goals. Freedom Solar will custom design a solar power system to meet your specific needs and offset as much of your utility bill as you want.
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Yes. Solar power systems are very flexible and can easily be enlarged in future years.
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Yes! When you begin to generate your own solar power, your utility bill will drop significantly. How much you can save will depend on the size of your solar system and your electricity usage. When your solar system generates more electricity than your building can immediately use, your excess power flows back to the utility grid and your meter literally spins backward!
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Your solar energy system requires very little maintenance. All your system requires is occasional cleaning and inspection. We suggest that you keep an eye on trees and shrubs that may shade your system and keep them trimmed. The cleaner the panels, the more electricity is produced.
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Solar systems built today are very reliable. Systems installed 30 years ago are still producing lots of energy. There are no moving parts in solar panels which give them a potential life of over 40 years.
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Every home and business is different, and will depend on your energy needs, accessible space, and energy goals. Freedom Solar will consult with you to determine if a battery meets your needs during a power outage, and what return on investment it will provide.
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Since the amount of power your solar system generates is a direct result of sunlight, it will produce less energy when the weather is cloudy. Your system will not produce any energy at night. You can still automatically draw power from the grid whenever you need it.
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In the event of a black out, your solar power system is designed to turn off. This is a safety requirement by the utility company so that their technicians can safely repair down electrical lines. If you have a battery system, the solar will continue to work, since the battery systems have a feature which isolates your home from the electrical lines and protects the utility workers.
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It depends on the equipment manufacturer, but each solar panel manufacturer we represent has a minimum 25 year product warranty. Each battery system manufacturer we represent has a minimum 10 year product warranty.
Questions About solar installation
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No. You won't experience any changes inside your home or business.
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A typical solar panel installation takes less than a week and a typical commercial installation takes about 1-3 weeks from the day we begin the installation. The length of time depends on the complexity of your roof and the number of panels that will be installed.
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Most installations require a solar or battery building permit. Freedom Solar will obtain all building permits and design your system to meet your local building codes. We’ll arrange the electrical, building and utility inspections and be on-site to make sure that everything is up to code.
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Ideally, you should install solar panels on a roof that is in good condition. When a Freedom Solar consultant comes out to inspect your building prior to installation, he or she will check to make sure that your roof is suitable for a solar installation. Once the solar panels are installed, they actually help to protect your roof from the elements. If you should ever need to make repairs on the roof, the solar panels can be removed and reinstalled.
Monitoring questions
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On your desktop or mobile device. Freedom Solar will email you the link for monitoring your system once installed. Most monitoring apps are available on your desktop or mobile device app store.
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The monitoring app usually has a contact number or email. If you can’t find it on your app, Freedom Solar is your best resource.
Financial questions
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Yes! Solar is cleaner and less expensive than power from the utility company. Solar is a smart financial investment because you will save money on electricity costs for years to come and increase your home value. Customers who purchase a system typically see a strong Return on Investment (ROI) and expect to recover their solar system investment as soon as 5 years. Depending on the federal, state, and local incentives offered in your area, you may be able to pay back your system even sooner.
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The incentives and rebates are both real and substantial. Local, state and federal governments offer tremendous financial incentives for businesses to choose solar. A combination of incentives and tax credits will cover 30% (or more) of the total cost! The most important thing to keep in mind about these governmental programs is this—they won't last forever. Now is the time to take advantage of the federal and state mandate to switch to renewable sources of energy; once the adoption rate reaches a certain level, the incentives will disappear. For more information, please visit www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov
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We think so. Federal, state and local governments are offering generous tax credits and incentives to go solar and add a battery; however, these programs are designed to reward early adopters, so the rebate amount per project may drop as the allotted funds are consumed. In addition, solar can dramatically reduce your utility bill and will protect you from rising utility rates for years to come.
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Yes! Freedom Solar offers several financing options to make your solar experience affordable. Reasonable financing is offered through our vendors and local credit unions.
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Prior to installing your solar electric system, we recommend you contact your insurance carrier to determine the impact on your yearly premium. Most insurance companies do not increase the premium and some are starting to reduce the premium.
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Get started today by calling (408) 613-2300 or send an email to sales@freedomsolar.net
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Property assessed clean energy, or PACE, financing allows property owners to fund energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy projects with little or no up-front costs. With PACE, residential and commercial property owners living within a participating district can finance up to 100% of their project and pay it back over time as a voluntary property tax assessment through their existing property tax bill.
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First, by offering up to 100% financing on qualifying improvements, PACE can eliminate the need to pay out of pocket for your project. Second, depending upon the type of improvements installed, repayment may be amortized for a period of up to 20 years, keeping your monthly payments low enough that your utility savings may exceed your payment, creating a net positive cash flow. Third, the interest may be tax deductible. Finally, because PACE ties the loan to the property and not an individual, the loan may transfer upon sale or refinancing of the property. In other words, you may not need to be concerned about recouping the cost of your improvements if you decide to sell the property before the loan is repaid.
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PACE financing is only available to property owners in certain cities or counties that have adopted a program. In general, PACE programs offer competitive financing terms to property owners with at least some equity in their home or business and have not been delinquent on their property tax or mortgage payments.
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