solar panels
 

Hi everyone- I have been thinking about going solar. I’ve received 4 different estimates. The recent one is from Freedom Solar Power. The headquarters is in San Antonio TX, but local branch is in Tampa.

I am having a hard time finding any credible information about the Tampa branch. Since there are many bad stories about companies installing solar panels, I would like to ask your thoughts and experiences.

Thank you,
Jan (Citrus Grove)

Do a search for other threads on this topic.

Here is the bottom line. If you want to save the planet, buy a solar system. If you are trying to save money, don't buy a solar system.

And you end up not saving the environment when they reach end of life - it costs $20-30 to recycle 1 panel and $1 to put it in a landfill.

At least according to the Harvard Business Review
The Dark Side of Solar Power

But, it makes you feel good.

I would NOT buy a house that had solar cells on the roof. Period.

After the 20 or so year life span most Villagers would have moved the three times to another home or be underground with the panels, LOL

Be very careful, and DO NOT sign any contract with any company for solar, there are some that low ball the cost, and then stick you with a nasty contract AND put a lien on your house, and the real kicker, if you go to sell the house the NEW owner must take over the lease.

If I was going to go solar, I would self-finance only.

As noted above there are several threads on this subject, general opinion was do not do it.

Let me explain this to you. I'm not at all anti-solar. I have a bunch of self installed panels on my garage at my northern home and they work great for that.

You need to understand how most of these companies work. You sign a contract for the panels and you pay for them under some financing model that they came up with. They agree to pay you for some of the energy that's generated.

The problem is, that they often structure it so that even with your whole roof covered in panels that you're paying for monthly, they decide how much of the energy that the utility company pays for ends up in your pocket. They usually structure it so that any subsidy is given to them, NOT you and then they collect money selling all of that power to the utility and give the homeowner a small cut of that. You can end up with a roof full of panels generating $500/month more energy than you use, but they structure the contract so that you sometimes make $0/month and are stuck paying for the panels on the roof for 25 years while the solar salesperson made $10k on the sale.

Here is an informative unbiased article about that.

Why prices for rooftop solar might be higher than they should be : Planet Money : NPR

Solar
 

Ask what the cost would to be to remove and reinstall if you were changing out your roof at some time.

I agree. Also, there was another recent post where the homeowner had a small roof leak under a relatively new solar panel. How do you get it repaired? Will the solar company come out and remove enough panels, so a roofer can repair the leak? I doubt that any roofer would assume the risk of removing any solar panels. A $200 repair could suddenly cost several thousands of dollars, if it can be repaired at all.

Great line and pretty much sums it up! I've been curious about how long it would actually take to recoup the investment. And down the road, there would likely be costs associated with maintenance on the system or when shingles need to be replaced. And personally, I find solar panels to be unsightly.

IMHO. If solar was so good, the electric companies would lease our roofs and put their panels up and not charge us for electricity.

Excuse me while I call Seco and get laughed at.:bigbow::bigbow:

Agree!

Agree!!!!!!!!