As solar power continues to expand in America, more and more consumers are learning about our technology and becoming more aware of alternative energy sources. We at TFS believe in strongly educating our community on not only the benefits of using alternative energy sources, but on the in’s and out’s of living with them. We will be regularly publishing our ‘Ask A Solar Expert’ series, providing brief answers for our most commonly received questions.
Q: Should I purchase an oversized system so that I can sell back energy to the utility?
A: No! It is a common misconception that installing more than 100% of a home’s necessary production will allow the owner to lucratively sell back to the utility for a profit. When self-generated energy is sold back to the utility, it is bought at a highly discounted rate, resulting in almost no gain for the owner of the panels. TFS recommends an installation that brings the homeowner into the 90-95% generation range, maximizing the reduction of purchased power without selling back to the utility.
Q: I can’t afford to purchase panels for my rooftop - are there financing options available?
A: Yes! TFS has partnered with TOPCU to offer a highly-competitive, consumer friendly solar loan. We also provide the option to lease your solar system - often at $0 down - allowing you to begin saving on your electricity bill from day one.
Q: Will making the switch to solar allow me to keep my home powered during outages?
A: Not quite - while grid-free options are available via inverter upgrades and battery storage, standard solar systems are grid-tied, meaning that if the grid is offline, the solar modules will not continue to function during the outage.
Q: How reliable are solar panels? What kind of maintenance is required?
A: Solar panels require close to no maintenance, as they operate free of moving parts. A quality installation should maintain itself very well, with only minimal cleaning required via the natural elements of rain and wind. In the event that your panels do need any sort of maintenance, TFS offers both a 25 year manufacturers warranty on the panels we install, as well as a 10 year workmanship warranty to protect our customers. For cleaning, please refer to our Maintenance & Cleaning blog.