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Frequently Asked Questions for Residential Solar

If you are considering a residential solar panel system for your home, you probably have some questions. We’ve answered some of the more common questions here. If you have any additional questions about installing a home solar system or maintaining and monitoring one you already have, please contact us and we’ll be happy to provide answers.

Sun-Wind Solutions will help you determine your system size and the number of solar panels you will need based on the following criteria:

  • Your current annual consumption.
  • Your future goals and needs.
  • Availability and quality of space where panels will be located, including:
    • Dimensions of usable area(s)
    • Roof angle
    • Shading / Obstructions
    • Compass orientation

It depends on size and difficulty of your project. Under typical conditions, a solar installation will produce a significant return on your investment and will pay for itself early-on in the system’s expected useful life. The four main categories that factor into the gross cost of a system are:

  • System Size / Hardware cost
  • Site conditions – the easiness or difficulty associated with the construction
  • Quality and capacity of your current electrical service
  • Incentives and rebates that offset these costs

Connecticut residents are eligible for the following:

  • The CT Green Bank offers an up-front rebate based on size and efficiency of your system.
  • Net of the CGB rebate, you can take a 30% federal tax credit (Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit) on the remaining balance.
  • Plus, your solar array eliminates all or some of your current electricity bill

Sun-Wind Solutions will make all arrangements to apply for and secure your CT Green Bank rebate. Your tax advisor, with our assistance if necessary, will secure your federal renewable energy tax credit.

Solar site evaluations are always free of charge, and with no obligations on your part. Call us today and we’ll get started on a personalized and comprehensive assessment showing the pros and cons of going solar.

Solar panels are generally maintenance-free. If excessive dirt builds up, a light cleaning can be done on an as-needed basis. Except under extreme conditions, an on-going maintenance program is really not necessary.

Grid-tied means you are still connected to your local utility company which allows you to take advantage of net-metering. At times your solar system may produce an amount of electricity in excess of your current on-site needs. Net Metering allows this excess production to be “sold” back to your local electricity provider. Conversely, when you require an amount of electricity in excess of what is being produced by your system, your needs will be supplemented through the purchase of electricity from your provider. A revenue grade meter records all on the “ins” and “outs” and none of your array production goes to waste.

A typical solar system, where grid connection is available and service interruptions are infrequent and not long-lasting, will be grid-tied and net-metered as described in the previous question. That benefit comes with the following limitation. For safety reasons, all grid-tied solar systems shut down when service is interrupted. This is done so your system is not supplying the grid when utility workers are performing maintenance and repairs. When service is restored, your system will automatically resume production. If you would like to have power during a service interruption, there are options and we can design a system that can achieve that goal.

Every watt of solar power adds $4 to the value of your home!

Research sponsored by the Department of Energy shows that buyers are willing to pay more for homes with rooftop solar panels. According to a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in January 2015, buyers were willing to pay a premium of four additional dollars per watt of solar power. The study can be found here – Homebuyers Will Pay Premium for Solar Homes

Your home solar evaluation starts with a simple call or click.

Contact us by using the form on this page or call us at (203) 255-3714. We are able to offer a preliminary opinion regarding the viability of a solar array at your home right over the phone. We ask just a few simple questions and, if you have a recent electricity bill handy, it takes only a few minutes. If the conditions seem favorable, we will come to your home and perform a no-obligation site assessment.

No-Obligation On-site Home Solar Assessment

Home Solar AssessmentSun-Wind Solutions will visit your home to verify and evaluate the existing conditions. While there we will use state-of-the-art equipment to measure the sun and shade from various parts of your roof and property. This will not only help us confirm whether your home and property are right for solar, but it will also help us determine the most efficient location for your system in planning your solar array.

The criteria in planning a solar array depend on the following:

We want you to be completely satisfied with your home solar PV system. That’s why we sit down with you from the beginning and discuss all of your options. We’ll listen to you and provide recommendations to help you achieve the best balance of all these important factors.

Cost Savings Analysis

Investing in a residential solar panel array is a sound financial decision for you and your family. We’ll show you why. Using the combination of State of CT rebates and a Federal tax credit of 30% can allow you to save up to 50% of the cost of installing your solar PV system. Having a solar PV system installed at your home is a big decision for most families. We want to help you make the decision that is right for you. After we conduct our site evaluation, we will provide you with a financial analysis that will show:

  • Your current electricity usage and how much you can save with your new home solar panel array.
  • Total incentives paid by third parties.
  • Your return on investment compared to traditional investment products.
  • Historical and future electricity rate expectations.

Our experts will also be ready to answer any questions you have throughout the decision-making process.

Financing Options: The Good, Better, and Best

The solar industry has developed various ways to market and sell solar panel systems to businesses and homeowners. While there are many great options available, we know from our experience that consumers don’t always get what they are promised. Some of our clients have shared their difficult experiences dealing with larger national “out-of-the-box” solar providers. That’s where we are different.

As solar consultants, our primary focus is working with your business to design a system that makes sense for your situation; maximizing your return on investment and saving you real dollars.

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