You shouldn’t be paying a large utility bill. It’s bad for your pocketbook. It’s bad for the environment. It’s bad all the way around. Solar panels, especially in a warm, sunny climate like San Diego, make sense. Of course, there are upfront installation costs, but you make that money back every month in reduced utility bills.
For most people, it all comes back to money. Does installing a solar power system really make sense for you? You need to consider your needs, what you are currently spending on electricity, your lifestyle and the value of your home. Nu-Energy Solutions by Nu-Cote (a roofing company in San Diego) states that their customers typically recoup their investments after 5-10 years depending on rebates and incentives offered in their area.
If you act fast, the government will actually give you some great rebates and incentives for the incorporation of solar power – but these incentives have been limited to a certain amount of money… so, those who wait may not see much, if any, help from the government.
Make sure you work with an experienced company who has all the proper permits and does a thorough job of inspecting. You should also make sure they monitor your system to ensure it is working right. A residential installation of solar panels usually takes between 2 and 5 days depending on complexity. A commercial job typically takes 1 to 3 weeks. Once your system is installed, the maintenance should be minimal – an inspection and cleaning every once in a while is all it should need (and sometimes tree trimming if you have trees that are blocking the panels from full sunlight).
The power your system generates will be a direct result of the sunlight shining on it. Overcast weather will produce less power and there will be no power generated at night. For this reason, it is very important that your installer connects you to the main power grid. This will allow you to pull power when you need it. When you collect more solar power than needed, it can also be “stored” and used later. This process of switching from solar power to utility power happens automatically. You will not be able to tell the difference.
If you are interested in investing in a solar power system for your home, there are several options. Make sure you do your research and know what works best for you. Work with a company that knows your area well (i.e. has worked with a variety of San Diego homeowners) and has many successful installations.
Nu-Energy Solutions by Nu-Cote has provided roofing & solar panel solutions to thousands of San Diego homeowners. Click here for Nu-Cote reviews.
