FAQ'S
Frequently Asked Questions
Think you’re ready to go solar but overwhelmed with all the information out there? Florida Solar Panel can help with that! Check out our frequently asked questions below.
Where do I begin?
Florida Solar offers a number of services that will elevate your home’s energy efficiency. Our first step is always to audit your home’s energy usage. One of our experts will walk you through any areas that could have energy “leaks” within the insulation or air ducts. We offer both duct sealing and insulation services that can address these issues before pursuing a solar panel installation. From there, our team will offer solar recommendations that will work for your home.
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How much will (Photovoltaic) solar add to the value of my home?
Several different studies demonstrate that solar increases the resale of a home from 3% to 5%, in a non-recessionary housing market. This means that a standard solar array on a $300,000 home will increase the market value from $9,000 to $15,000. The rooftop solar arrays sold by Florida Solar typically last 30 to 40 years, and the payoff (ROI) on a standard system is 7 to 8 years. As plug in electric cars become more common the value of homes with photovoltaic solar will increase because electric car owners will be able to charge their vehicles at home without paying a high electric bill.
How does the Federal Tax Credit on solar work?
The credit can be used for solar hot waters heaters for the home, solar pool pumps and any photovoltaic array. The tax credit is 26% until 2022, 22% in 2023. This is a TAX CREDIT, so you can’t use it unless you pay taxes to the federal government. If your annual household income is below $30,000 per year it might take you several years to use your tax credit. For instance, if you only pay $3,000 per year in federal taxes and you get a solar tax credit for $9,000 it will have to carry forward three years for you to recoup the full $9,000. The solar tax credit is dollar for dollar, if you own a business and pay taxes at the end of the year you can use the tax credit instead of writing a check to Uncle Sam.
What about maintenance on my system?
Photovoltaic panels have a 25-year warranty, so there is little to zero maintenance on a typical photovoltaic solar array. Dust and pollen might accumulate on rooftop panels, but the abundant rainfall here in Florida tends to mitigate this issue.
How long does it take to get my solar installed?
Most systems are installed within 3 to 6 weeks of a signed contract.
(Some counties has a slower permit process, about 4 weeks, while Hillsborough County does same-day permits. At the time of contract, you’ll receive a timetable based on your county and the size of your system. Larger systems might take 3 to 4 days to install, smaller solar arrays and pool heaters are installed faster. All photovoltaic arrays have to go through county or city inspection, then it takes the local electric utility another 3 to 4 weeks to install the bidirectional meter.
How long does it take to meet with a solar consultant?
We typically sit down with our clients for 20 to 30 minutes to look at their electric bill, answer their questions and formulate a price based on their kilowatt usage. If the appointment takes longer it means you’re asking great questions!
Our approach is to educate our clients about their options, what you do with that information is 100% up to you. We don’t want to twist anyone’s arm to sell anything because intelligent consumers who understand this technology want to buy! Our job is to present your options in a way that you feel 100% comfortable spending your green dollars with our organization.
You might buy from us this week, six months from now, or 2 years in the future. Either way we want to earn your business.
Can I finance my system?
Go Florida Solar works with various lenders and programs to help our clients get a monthly payment that is lower than their current costs. Your sales consultant will walk you through these options based upon your current financial situation.
How does my grid-tied solar array work at night?
It doesn’t. A solar array in Florida will generate power (even on a cloudy day) from just after sunrise until sunset. Most of the systems we install are net metered to the power grid; during the day the system generates more than you need and these extra kilowatts are pushed back to the grid via a bi-directional meter installed by the electric company. These banked kilowatts are like rollover minutes on a cell phone, during the winter (when your air condition needs are lower) your solar array will produce excess kilowatts which are pushed back to the utility and credited to your bill. When the hot summer months begin that bank of kilowatts will be used as a credit toward your increased energy usage.