What is Electrical Demand?
Electrical Demand is the amount of electricity in kilowatts (kW) that the house is using simultaneously at any given time. The more appliances that are run together, the larger the demand is.
For example, the average air conditioner uses 4 kW of demand and the average clothes dryer uses 3.5 kW of demand. When the air conditioner and clothes dryer are run simultaneously in a home, the demand of the home will be 7.5 kW.
See Arizona Appliance Wattage Chart.
Read MoreWhat is a Solar Buy Back Rate?
The buy back rate is the rate at which the utility company credits customers per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for sending electricity from their home solar panel system to the utility grid. The utility installs a second meter at every home that goes solar in order to measure the amount of electricity sent to to the utility […]
Read MoreHow to install solar system DIY?
A project to install a complete solar system on a home is a large endeavor that, when professionally managed, involves many experts from different fields. The salesperson will know what type of system is appropriate for your home based on years of experience. The draftsman knows how to create a professional design for the solar system. The engineers understand city construction codes and the other legal implications of installation.
There are people employed at solar companies whose entire job is to submit permit application packages to the various cities in the Phoenix area, and they have been doing it for years, as this is not a simple process to learn. Other administrative workers submit applications to the local utility companies.
After permit approval, a host of professional engineers, contractors, and administrative workers are involved in ensuring the solar system is installed safely and professionally on the home, and then guaranteeing the system is interconnected to the utility and working properly. A solar system installed improperly poses a serious safety and fire hazard, not only to the home it is attached to, but to all the neighbors in the area. This is why Arizona law mandates that the city and utility approve every solar panel installation before it is turned on.
In summary, the process to install a solar panel system is very complex and there is no manual or internet website that will take a homeowner through all the steps in detail. A homeowner may be able to figure everything out and install it over a period of many years, but at that point the homeowner will have spent far more money and time than they would have if they hired a professional company to install their solar system. Just like any large home improvement project, it is best to leave it to the professionals that have many years of experience.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreHow much electricity does a solar system produce?
Solar systems produce about 1,750 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year per kilowatt (kW) rating of the system. The typical system is around 7 kW, so that system will produce about 12,250 kWhs per year. Production also depends on what components are used in the system and the orientation of the roof to the sun.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreWhat if we plan on selling our home or moving in the future?
If you plan on being in the home for another year or more, you will still see a lot of savings from going solar. Our customers typically save $500 to $2,000 on their energy costs in the first year after going solar. How much money you save in the first year depends on many different factors including the size of your home, your family’s energy use habits, and the utility solar price plan you choose. Those with high utility bills will save more money by going solar than those with low utility bills, but the percentage of savings is typically the same across the board.
If you plan on moving out of your home, but keeping the home as a rental property, going solar will increase the value of your home and the low utility costs will be an attractive incentive for renters. If you plan on selling the home within six months, purchasing a solar system is probably not right for you, as you will not see much benefit in the short time you will remain in the home.
See our page on selling your home with solar panels for more information.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read More