Before Installing Solar
The First Things to do before installing Solar is a roof inspection if needed and air-conditioning system replacement. Replacing both will save you money and lower your power consumption, sometimes quite dramatically.
Through time a roof and A/C pay for themselves because of improved efficiency and increased home value. In most cases, the rule of thumb is to replace any AC unit 10 years or older because it can have a dramatic effect on lowering power consumption.
Below Is a Table of The Best Things To Do Before Installing Solar
The Objective Is To Achieve As Close As Possible What A Homes Monthly Average kWh’s Usage Is. This Is The Determining Factor for The Size Solar System, The Smaller The System The Lower The Cost Is
Doing the Following Home Improvements Will Improve
Energy Efficiency and Reduce The Amount of Kilowatts Needed
Each Item On This List Will Be Covered In Detail After The Chart
| Air Conditioning | See True Story Below When Replacing AC Unit |
| Roof | Older roofs are not as efficient and it’s Ideal for the roof and solar panels to age simultaneously. |
| Windows and Doors | Caulking Is The Least Costly and Money Saving Thing To Do In A Home |
| LED Lighting | Amazing Energy Saving Technology! |
| Attic Fans and Blown Insulation | Go The Extra Mile for Additional Savings! |
| Ready for Solar | At This Point, Your Home Is Efficient Enough To Determine The Actual Monthly kWh Usage Which should Be Considerably Lower than before The Improvements Started. |
| Solar Equipment | This Is Where Some Expertise Goes A Long Way! |
| Installation | Expert Licensed and Insured Contractor |
| Get Top Quality Equipment of Less | Buy All of Your Equipment Wholesale and Save Big! |
| Use A Solar Consultant | Florida Solar Report Has Given Birth To A Revolutionary Idea About How To Cut The Cost of Solar Dramatically “Your Solar Advocate” Consultant Firm. |
The Following Is a True Story
In September 2018 I get a call from a gentleman and he wants to talk to me about solar. He proceeds to explain to me for no obvious reason he has received two consecutive power bills for over $1200 each. The two power bills were for July and August, so that was the two hottest months of the year in central Florida. After examining all the factors the bills were extraordinarily high.
On September 29th, 2018 I meet the client and we discuss all the variables about what could be causing this outrageous power bill. He tells me he bought the home four months previous to receiving these outrageous bills. He got a really good deal on the home, gorgeous home. So the natural thought was this was one of the reasons the previous owners wanted out. Let’s get this out of the way very quickly, he wasn’t growing Marijuana.
He then explains to me that he had an energy audit and they told him the power bill was legitimate. They told him it could be the pool pump or the AC unit causing the extreme power bill but they couldn’t be certain. Receiving a power bill that’s more than your mortgage shatters any budget plan for any homeowner.
The A/C Unit Was The Culprit
Having knowledge of all the different factors involved I was able to insure him we could definitely help his situation. I was hyper-focused on the AC unit because upon further investigation the AC was over 13 years old. So I assured my customer that replacing the AC was as equally as important as the solar system. I explained to him we are contractors, so we can do the AC unit and the solar system.
The proposal was for $54,000 and I explained no money down so he signed up for an 11.7K Solar System and a New AC Unit.
Sounds expensive but his payment without the tax credit was $450 a month compared to $1200 including the A/C unit. He packaged the A/C with the solar and financed for twenty years. I explained that he could still potentially receive a power bill up to $200 a month for 2 peak months. That’s $650 a month for two months and for the rest of the year, you will likely have no power bill.
The Savings Were Immediate
After replacing the A/C unit I followed up with my customer about getting his solar system turned on. He informs me he has received the first power bill after replacing A/C and it was $450. This tells us that his power bill was affected by the air conditioner more than any other thing. This was great news because the size system he got was going to produce close to his monthly kWh’s used. The power bill was partially the old A/C and the new A/C so it was probably going to be lower. Keep in mind the bill was for September power usage and in Florida, September is a very hot month.
Although we identified the A/C as the culprit the solar system was going to pay for both. He was already paying that money and a lot more to the power company with nothing to show for it. The customer ended up with a 17 Seer A/C Unit and a home solar system that was paid for with the power company’s money.
Roof Replacement
The general rule of thumb is if a roof is no more than 7 years old it’s okay to do solar. A roof 7 to 9 years old well kept in good condition can install solar without concern. The key is a roof should be in Good to Excellent Condition before going solar.
A 10-year-old roof or older is a challenge because it will need replacement within 5 to 8 years. Timing is critical when it comes to maximizing your ROI with home solar. Bottom line is to consider replacing the roof if needed because just like an A/C unit, new roofs are more efficient.
As far as solar installation is concerned, they do very little penetrations to the roof if any at all. They stand behind their work and will address any installation issues going forward.
Re-Caulk All Windows and Doors
This is one of the cheapest steps for improving home energy efficiency. Windows are one of those things that are a contractor’s nightmare. The same windows with the same installers get different results when it comes to efficiency.
It’s best to reseal all your windows every 3 to 5 years in Florida because the weather is hard on caulking.
LED Lighting
The best energy saving technology in decades. They burn cool, last long and are amazingly efficient. I challenge anybody to replace all the regular bulbs in their home and you will see a lower power bill. LED bulbs are expensive but well worth the investment.
Attic Fans and Blown Insulation
In Florida, attics get extremely hot and installing additional vent fans and blown insulation improves efficiency and lowers kWh used.
Any homeowner that makes all these improvements will have as an efficient home as possible and a power bill to match.
These improvements will help folks with high power bills that are $225 and up because they are expensive improvements to make. A power bill any lower is not going to improve as dramatically unless it’s $200 and you know it’s too high. Then you can probably get the bill reduced to $110 to $125 it might be worth making all of these improvements. The lower the power bill the smaller the solar system needed which is additional savings.
How To Buy A Home Solar System
Now that you have what’s needed before installing solar done, you’re prepared for home solar. The good part of this preparation is you will need a smaller system which will result in saving thousands of dollars.
At this point you want to receive at least 3 months of power bills to compare to the year before to determine the right size solar system.
Once you’ve received three months of billing you are ready to go solar. Now the question is, how do I get the best deal? That’s where “Your Solar Advocate” Consulting Firm comes in because you can get a home solar system at a wholesale cost of $2.75 a Watt installed.
Get everything for cost with total guidance from the first step to the last step. We provide the expertise needed to be sure you have the most efficient system for the lowest price without sacrificing quality.
A Typical Solar Company's Proposal
A Typical Solar Company's Proposal
| Add-Ons To Every Solar Proposal | Cost of Add-Ons |
| The Cost of Salesperson | $3000 |
| Sales Manager | $1500 |
| Proposal Builders and Permitting Department | $1000 |
| Overhead: Rent, Auto Insurance, Vehicles, and Utilities | $1000 |
| Cost of Leads and Marketing | $1000 |
| Points for Low Interest 20 Year Loan Terms (Frequently Hidden Cost) |
$2500 |
| Solar Panels, Inverter, Installation | $17,000 |
| Solar Company Profit | $5000 |
| Total | $32,000 |
| Add-Ons To Every Solar Proposal | Cost of Add-Ons |
| The Cost of a Salesperson | |
| Sales Manager | |
| Proposal Builders and Permitting Department | $1000 |
| Overhead: Rent, Auto Insurance, Vehicles, and Utilities | $1000 |
| Cost of Leads and Marketing | |
| Points for Low Interest 20 Year Loan Terms (Frequently Hidden Cost) | |
| Solar Panels, Inverter, Installation | $17,000 |
| Solar Company Profit | |
| Your Solar Advocate Target Price $2.75 a Watt Totals for 7K | $19,250 Tax Credit – $5,005 The net Cost Is $14,245 |
Federal ITC Is 26% Off The Above Cost for Qualified Buyers
(Many Solar Companies Use Tax Credit as a down-payment 12 to 15 months after the deal is closed) The solar company doesn’t lay out any of the costs until the finance company funds their account.