Solar installation on roof

[Mosells]

I know there are some knowledgeable people on this forum. I’d like to develop a list of questions I should be asking the solar company representative. Of course I know the basic questions but I don’t know, what I don’t know. So what should I be asking? Has anyone gone through the solar install process?

[Babubhat]

What is the payback period? I have never seen one that justifies the purchase price. If they fail that everything else is moot.

Believe NOTHING they tell you. Get representations in writing

[Smalley]

I know there are some knowledgeable people on this forum. I’d like to develop a list of questions I should be asking the solar company representative. Of course I know the basic questions but I don’t know, what I don’t know. So what should I be asking? Has anyone gone through the solar install process?
If you are talking about solar tubes, we had two installed yesterday by The Solar Guys. They are terrific. One lights a previously dark hallway and the other 14" lights the kitchen. The installer was knowledgeable and highly competent. There are other threads on this topic with many responses. So do a search for more info.

[retiredguy123]

Do a search for other threads on this topic. The bottom line is that solar panels on the roof is a waste of money. The payback period is too long. It is about 15 or 20 years. The solar company will lie to you. They will not include the time value of money in their payback calculation. They will not tell you the cost to remove and reinstall the panels when you replace the roof. They will not tell you that the value of your house will decline because most buyers do not want to buy a house with solar panels on it. They will offer you a 25 year parts and labor warranty, which no small contractor could ever expect to honor for any product. They will tell you that the system will require no maintenance, which is obviously not true. Good luck.

[MX rider]

Do a search for other threads on this topic. The bottom line is that solar panels on the roof is a waste of money. The payback period is too long. It is about 15 or 20 years. The solar company will lie to you. They will not include the time value of money in their payback calculation. They will not tell you the cost to remove and reinstall the panels when you replace the roof. They will not tell you that the value of your house will decline because most buyers do not want to buy a house with solar panels on it. They will offer you a 25 year parts and labor warranty, which no small contractor could ever expect to honor for any product. They will tell you that the system will require no maintenance, which is obviously not true. Good luck.

Well said.
We looked into solar panels a few years ago here in Indiana. We were 60 then. The roi is just too long. And what most people don't take into account is that after 15 ro 20 years, you've just broke even and haven't saved a dime up to that point. Also as you said, anyone that tells you that theres no maintenance cost is full of s**t.
Most retired people will not live long enough to see a significant return on the investment

[Challenger]

Do a search for other threads on this topic. The bottom line is that solar panels on the roof is a waste of money. The payback period is too long. It is about 15 or 20 years. The solar company will lie to you. They will not include the time value of money in their payback calculation. They will not tell you the cost to remove and reinstall the panels when you replace the roof. They will not tell you that the value of your house will decline because most buyers do not want to buy a house with solar panels on it. They will offer you a 25 year parts and labor warranty, which no small contractor could ever expect to honor for any product. They will tell you that the system will require no maintenance, which is obviously not true. Good luck.

Great summary of the facts relating to the subject.

[Brwne]

I know there are some knowledgeable people on this forum. I’d like to develop a list of questions I should be asking the solar company representative. Of course I know the basic questions but I don’t know, what I don’t know. So what should I be asking? Has anyone gone through the solar install process?

Companies that offer to put them on your roof and let the saving payoff the costs, also file a lien on your house for that period of time. In addition, if you want to sell your house, either the lien has to be assumed by the buyer or you must pay off the lien.

"Free" is usually very expensive...

[MrFlorida]

Wind can get under the panels and lift up your roof, that happened to a friend of mine during a tropical storm, hate to think of what would happen during a hurricane.

[Two Bills]

Most roofs in The Villages would need a lot of reinforcing to carry the extra weight.

[billethkid]

Ask how the mounting to the roof will not leak and rot the plywood sub roof.

When our roof was replaced all the plywood panels under the solar units had to be replaced due to mounting screw leaks over the years.

Needless to say we did not replace the solar system with the new roof.

__________________________________________

:censored:

[villagetinker]

Check on your home insurance with the possibility of installing solar panels. I agree with a lot of the above comments. Back in PA there were incentives that made solar electric panel a good choice with a much shorter breakeven period. Florida only has net metering (a very long payback period). I have a 20-25 year career on the utility side on solar PV systems, and from what i have seen the Florida financial environment for these is a deal killer.

[Chamo]

I have done a lot of research into solar panels my conclusion is they are definitely not worth it the pay back. Is way too long for the amount of money that you will be saving. Also you do not get 100% electricity you must also have Seco or Duke supply your electric from 6 PM to 6 AM so that means another bill. I’ve had many companies try to sell saying you get a great tax rebate they are all full of garbage. Save yourself the money and invest it somewhere else. You will be doing yourself a favor.

[Southwest737]

Do a search for other threads on this topic. The bottom line is that solar panels on the roof is a waste of money. The payback period is too long. It is about 15 or 20 years. The solar company will lie to you. They will not include the time value of money in their payback calculation. They will not tell you the cost to remove and reinstall the panels when you replace the roof. They will not tell you that the value of your house will decline because most buyers do not want to buy a house with solar panels on it. They will offer you a 25 year parts and labor warranty, which no small contractor could ever expect to honor for any product. They will tell you that the system will require no maintenance, which is obviously not true. Good luck.

We have had solar for 6 years. Very pleased with the performance. No leaks and no maintenance. Definitely a long term investment.

[WingedFoot78]

How do fire departments handle a fire on a home with solar panels? I asked a volunteer fireman this question. His reply was basically "let it burn". Is there any way to turn off the panels? Water and electricity don't play well together.

[retiredguy123]

We have had solar for 6 years. Very pleased with the performance. No leaks and no maintenance. Definitely a long term investment.
No leaks? Is this a water piping heating system or a solar electric panel system?

[MarkD1981]

How do fire departments handle a fire on a home with solar panels? I asked a volunteer fireman this question. His reply was basically "let it burn". Is there any way to turn off the panels? Water and electricity don't play well together.
If there is light, solar panels are on and cannot be turned off.

[Heytubes]

Having installed VELUX solar hot water systems in the past the panels use the same flashing system as their skylights. Never a leak or having to remove them when reroofing. Also, a new hot water heater with larger capacity is provided by O. E. Smith. Unfortunately, VELUX sold this system to Heleadine (sp) and I stopped installing. At the time there was a 35% state tax credit on states that had state income taxes and along with a Federal tax credit of 30% at the time the roi was great. As for PV systems many systems came with batteries for nighttime power. Very expensive. The Solatube’s and Sun Tunnels have a small solar panel with LED lights and batteries that qualify for the current Federal solar tax credit.

[skippy05]

Don't ask your solar company anything. Ask yourself how much longer until all Home Insurance Companies refuse to write a policy if you have this on your roof. Google that topic in FL it has already started.

[Jdburns11]

I know there are some knowledgeable people on this forum. I’d like to develop a list of questions I should be asking the solar company representative. Of course I know the basic questions but I don’t know, what I don’t know. So what should I be asking? Has anyone gone through the solar install process?

So this has been basically a gloomy picture by most posters here… I’ll offer that my perspective is a bit different in that a) we’re in our 50s and plan to be here awhile, b) the roof was 1 year old when we bought the house, and c) I could take full advantage of the tax incentive of about $7K that I would have otherwise paid the IRS vs. the solar company.

I’ll add that I agree the payback is probably a coin toss - we get enough credits during the winter months to only have minimal, if any SECO bills during the summer. Over time, the system will lose some efficacy.

That said, I think the most important question is sizing the amount of power/panels for your house to ensure you cover what you need during the summer and can “make up” enough credits to be worthwhile without overpaying the initial install. For us 2,000 SF home we have 27 panels for about 9KW which makes about 8 KW/hr at peak capacity brand new. During clouds, rain, etc.,early/late part of the day it will not make that much.

To summarize - don’t overbuy or underbuy capacity - one of the first vendors we looked at recommended significantly more than we ended up with for about 150% of the cost we finally got. For me right now it was worth the try - and I like the idea of using the environment. That’s just me.

We’ve had no maintenance issues over 1st year but I’d hope that the company (PPM) would stand behind product and parts (Enphase) - the real time app they give you with it - lets you readily track your use from the grid and exports to the grid every 15 minutes.

Respectfully, DB

[Crookedbreeze]

We have recently purchased a home with a solar hot water tank , also electric. I can tell when it has been over cast, takes a bit longer for the Kolar tub to get warmer . I sure that’s why it was installed. So far so good . Seem to help on the bill . Needs a good knowledgeable service company for it if anyone knows.

[rjm1cc]

Duke charges you $30 per month even if you do not use any electric.

[revfiddle]

What is the payback period? I have never seen one that justifies the purchase price. If they fail that everything else is moot.

Believe NOTHING they tell you. Get representations in writing
Right. I had solar panels on my last house. It lowered my electric bill 80%. On average I saved $125 month. The initial payback was 12 years, but as electricity rates increased, the payback dropped to 9 years. When sold that house, l estimate that I received 5% more than comparable sales. I never needed repairs. My advice-Do the math.

[Michael G.]

Remember the extra cost to removal and reinstall when a new roof is needed.

[The VillageElder]

We installed a solar panel with backup battery system last March. After reviewing various bids and specs we went with Tesla. They offered the best price and a "turn key" solution; no subcontractors to deal with.

We were amazed with how they handled the two recent hurricane events. The system went into an emergency mode, the batteries were fully charged all the time. The system was prepared for any outages. Having lived thru Sandy in North Jersey (no power for 15 days).
We weren't the concerned about the extra cost vs. a back up generator ( natural gas not available).

Full disclosure: we own a Tesla Model X.

We save money on our electric bill each month. I consider it a "bonus".

[rjm1cc]

We installed a solar panel with backup battery system last March. After reviewing various bids and specs we went with Tesla. They offered the best price and a "turn key" solution; no subcontractors to deal with.

We were amazed with how they handled the two recent hurricane events. The system went into an emergency mode, the batteries were fully charged all the time. The system was prepared for any outages. Having lived thru Sandy in North Jersey (no power for 15 days).
We weren't the concerned about the extra cost vs. a back up generator ( natural gas not available).

Full disclosure: we own a Tesla Model X.


We save money on our electric bill each month. I consider it a "bonus".

Do you get your power from the batteries or the electric company at night? About how long do you think the batteries would cover your needs if the days were overcast?

[keepsake]

If a roof meets current codes, they will have no issue supporting solar panels.
Been there more than once.

[keepsake]

That Duke outfit is legalized scamming. They got the state to approve a minimum billing charge. It only affects solar users.

[keepsake]

True -- When we put up solar the insurance covered it -- 5 years down the road, the renewal excluded EVERYTHING SOLAR.

[keepsake]

I waited 8 years to 'clean' some. It was costing me $$$. So every 2 to 3 years do a thorough scrubbing.

[keepsake]

Metal roofs are better for solar panels.

[Villages Kahuna]

What happens if you replace your roof?

[Stu from NYC]

If solar panels were such great investments how come so few homes in the villages have them?

[keepsake]

Metal roofs have a longer span than shingle. Best to install on a newer roof. If its an old shingle roof, then all panels and mounts come off. Lose some production and all goes back on.

[keepsake]

A more important question is ???

If building codes change as in fire access concerns. Will the reinstall of the panels prevent the original array to be put back. I've heard that my roof today could not be populated the way it was 11 years ago. Fire codes.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

There are alot, a lot of uncertainties around the secondary effects of installing solar panels on the roof:

Continuous insurance coverage
Changes in electric rates/subsidiaries/rebates/net metering allowances/utilities charges
Fire codes/efficiency reductions/lightning strikes/ directly affecting the panels
Weather conditions / cloud cover / resale /lien issues

Its a great option if you have tons of extra money, and you want to help save the planet from ourselves.

personally I idon't have the extra money, and don't see the financial savings for the investment.
Its like spending $20K to save $100 a month plus secondary costs?

good luck in your decision

[Michael G.]

Are we talking about solar panels for a swimming pool?

[keepsake]

Every 'keepsake' has posted is about electrical, photovoltaic panels with inverters. Not for water or pool.

[tophcfa]

Ironically, there are solar panels everywhere where we have our northern home, where the tax subsidies are abundant, but the amount of year round sunlight is minimal. In Florida, where the year round sunlight is abundant, but the subsidies are minimal, the solar panels are few and far between. So that tells anyone paying attention that solar is definitely not cost effective unless it is being subsidized by others.

[Challenger]

I will not live long enough to see any ROI. on an installation, Even with subsidies paid for by taxpayers.

[Jimbo120]

I know there are some knowledgeable people on this forum. I’d like to develop a list of questions I should be asking the solar company representative. Of course I know the basic questions but I don’t know, what I don’t know. So what should I be asking? Has anyone gone through the solar install process?

Based on actual production my current payback is 8.4 years so I am happy. Solar is complicated and not for everyone.

some of the considerations:
Age of Roof
Southern or Eastern exposure amounts
Warranty ( I have 25 years on panels, production, and roof penetration with no fees or deductible)
Current tax rebate
Type of panel and inverter

You can PM me for more information

[retiredguy123]

Based on actual production my current payback is 8.4 years so I am happy. Solar is complicated and not for everyone.

some of the considerations:
Age of Roof
Southern or Eastern exposure amounts
Warranty ( I have 25 years on panels, production, and roof penetration with no fees or deductible)
Current tax rebate
Type of panel and inverter

You can PM me for more information
Does your 8.4 year payback calculation include the time value of money and at what interest rate?

[Arctic Fox]

Some of the answers given above are based on research people did several years ago.

Things are changing rapidly in the PV world:
- panels get cheaper every year (over 80% cheaper than they were in 2010)
- and lighter
- battery back-up is considerably cheaper than it was (should you want to go off-grid)
- as are inverters

On the downside:
- there are supply problems
- interest rates are rising
- installation costs are relatively fixed

Back on the upside, there are Federal Tax Credits of 26-30% until 2034, if you are able to avail yourself of them.

Lots to consider, and don't rely just on the installation companies for the facts.

[Bay Kid]

Don't forget your roof will have to be replaced every 15 years. Cost to remove and replace panels?

[daniel200]

My home has gas heat and water heater. My 2022 electric bill totaled $1450 …

If I spent $15,000 for a solar system it would require 10 years to payback my initial investment if solar covered 100% of my needs.


But to get solar to cover my needs, i also would need batteries. The solar quotes, i have received are $22,000 to $28,000 after tax credits. So there is just no cost benefits to me.

Of course if solar/battery prices continue to drop, then maybe in 4 or 5 years the economics will improve.

[retiredguy123]

My home has gas heat and water heater. My 2022 electric bill totaled $1450 …

If I spent $15,000 for a solar system it would require 10 years to payback my initial investment if solar covered 100% of my needs.


But to get solar to cover my needs, i also would need batteries. The solar quotes, i have received are $22,000 to $28,000 after tax credits. So there is just no cost benefits to me.

Of course if solar/battery prices continue to drop, then maybe in 4 or 5 years the economics will improve.
If you include the time value of money, you could invest the $22K at the current CD rate of 5 percent and get an income of $1,100 per year, which would cover 75 percent of your total electric bill. So, you could save $350 per year, and your payback period on the $22K would be 63 years, assuming that the solar system and your roof lasted that long.

[Bay Kid]

If you include the time value of money, you could invest the $22K at the current CD rate of 5 percent and get an income of $1,100 per year, which would cover 75 percent of your total electric bill. So, you could save $350 per year, and your payback period on the $22K would be 63 years, assuming that the solar system and your roof lasted that long.

I just buy stock in the power company. Safe investment and the dividends pay for my electric bill.
Dad used to ask if I had stock in the electric company when I would leave a light on. Well now I do.

[TCNY61]

What happens if you replace your roof?

My friend is having his panels removed to get new shingles installed. Cost to remove panels is $5000. Also his friend had to wait for two months to have his panels reinstalled, they were left sitting in his yard till then.