Solar
What You Need to Know About Residential PACE Financing for Solar
Ready to pick up the “pace” on your solar project? If you’ve been reading up on your lending options for a renewable energy system, you may have seen sites throwing around the words “PACE financing.” Property assessed clean energy, or PACE, is a payment structure initiated by the federal government that allows local municipalities to…
Solar
If you’ve looked into installing solar, you may have realized that your installation won’t be easy on your roof. The majority of solar mounts are attached directly to a home’s rafters, which means cutting into the roof. While installers generally take care to seal and flash holes to prevent leaks and water damage, those incisions…
Solar
Common Causes of Damage to Solar Panels and How to Avoid Them
Solar panel technology is ever-changing and improving — but it doesn’t make the panels impenetrable. Since the panels are made from outward-facing glass, they are vulnerable to damage from extreme weather and age. Water and hail damage to solar panels can feel like tricky problems to solve. Solar panels are built to last up to…
Solar
What Are the Best Solar Panels for Colder Climates?
Live in a climate with cold winters? Then you might think that solar is out of your reach—after all, it works best in the sun right? Well, not necessarily. Research shows that solar panels actually harvest energy more efficiently in chillier weather. Furthermore, when there’s snow on the ground, your solar output may even improve.…
Solar
Issues that May Arise with a Solar Hot Water Heater and How to Address Them
Once you saw the savings from your solar hot water heater, you started singing its praises from the rooftop. But like any appliance, your system needs a little regular TLC to perform its very best — and to avoid problems down the line. Issues with solar hot water heaters can have some grave consequences indeed…
Solar
Do Solar Contractors Cover Damages to a Roof During Installation?
One thing’s for sure, a lot of people are catching solar fever. Experts predict that residential installations will multiply exponentially from 16.0 GW in 2016 to 121.2 GW in 2025. That’s great news for the environment, but potentially bad news for your roof—especially if your solar installer is something of a PV newbie. An inexperienced…
Solar
The Pros and Cons of Buying Out a PPA for Solar
Price of solar energy systems got you down? A power purchase agreement—otherwise known as a PPA—offers a powerful alternative to afford solar equipment. In these arrangements, homeowners allow a third party company to install a solar energy system on their property. The cost of installation and the maintenance falls to this company, rather than the…
Solar
There are dozens of reasons why installing residential solar panels is a great idea. Perhaps the most popular is it will save you money on your electricity bill. In fact, the allure of solar panels for most homeowners is that over their lifespan, they will pay for themselves. To do that, most homeowners will need…