Here Comes the Sun: Solar Project Timeline + questions to ask
Once we decided on solar (see previous post ) , we needed to find a solar installer. Here is our timeline, and the biggest questions we had for the installers
TIMELINE
6/13/2022: Solar consultation with Marty Russo (DM me for his contact info). Received a quote that day.
6/27/2022: Met w/ Jacob Kinter, owner of Home Smart Improvements. He answered our questions and checked out our roof for wiring (yep), obstructions (very few), A/C ductwork (nope), electrical vehicle charging wiring (yep)…anything that would make rooftop installation challenging We asked for an Eichler referral, and he connected us to a previous Eichler client. We decided a week later that we wanted to work with Home Smart Improvements & Jacob.
7/26/2022: Design plans received from Home Smart Improvements. These architectural plans are required for permit approval. Once we approved the design plans, the SunPower solar panel kit was ordered.
The plans also helped us determine we would need a main panel upgrade to handle the increased electrical load.
8/9/2022: Received permit approval from the city.
October 5(ish): Solar Panels arrive
10/19/2022: Contacted Keith Nokes from Custom Craft Urethane to let him know we’ll need his roofing company to make repairs after the solar panel supports are installed.
10/25/2022: PG&E approves installation and we book for an 11/9 installation.
11/9/2022: Installation day! The solar technician from Home Smart and PG&E’s technician meet for an initial inspection and turn off the power. Roof penetrations are made and the rack is installed for solar. Electrical is installed for solar panels, a main panel is wired, and our old panel is removed. it was a very big day.
11/12/2022: Solar Panels are installed! buuuuttt, I am not happy. Because the panels are visible from the street. Jacob comes over to discuss options, and we’re able to remove a defunct pipe and move the panels toward the back.
11/25/2022: Panels fixed! they also painted the frames white to blend in with the roof. That stainless steel color made it pretty easy to see.
12/16/2022: Final Inspection is passed!
1/10/2023: Received official PG&E Permission to Operate, which means our solar energy can now be tracked and used to offset our electrical bill
Questions
Solar Companies we got quotes from: Highlight solar (referral from our neighbor), Sun Run (Costco information table), and SunPower (Google search, and previous experience from a colleague in the solar industry, and a graduate school project) referred us to their installer, Home Smart Improvements.
Do you install on a foam roof? First up, was the installer a local business that would install solar panels on a foam roof? Eichler roofs were built with wood with a light tar and gravel coating. They don’t have insulation, an attic, or a crawlspace so any hole in the roof is a point where water can leak directly into our house. In our first year, our entire hall carpet and walls were soaked during a rainstorm. It all came through a tiny crack in our old tar and gravel roof.
Sun Run saw our foam roof and immediately refused as a matter of company policy (which shows you how risky a roof installation can be on Eichlers). Highlight Solar said it was possible, and so did HomeSmart Improvement.
Do they have experience installing solar on an Eichler? I was concerned about being the first Eichler installation, and therefore the guinea pig, for a solar company. Luckily, both Highlight Solar and HomeSmart Improvements had experience with Eichler installations.
Luckily, we could see Highlight Solar’s work on our neighbor’s roof. For HomeSmart Improvements, they connected us with a previous Eichler client in Mountain View and that owner answered our questions in depth. He liked the professional work that HomeSmart did and their willingness to answer questions. Again, Eichler owners are a very thorough and curious group, so we felt very lucky to talk to this particular owner.
What kind of solar panels do they install? Each company installs different brands of solar panels (Hitachi, Sunpower, LG, etc.). Due to supply chain issues, it’s tough to get solar panels let alone the top choice solar panels. Since Home Smart Improvements was installing a low-profile mounting system and was certified to install SunPower panels (see previous article) which fit our criteria for good quality and a good design, our final decision was Home Smart Improvements.
What happens to our warranty if the solar installation company is bought? Another reason we chose Home Smart Improvements is that even if another company buys them (apparently this happens often in the solar industry), the warranty on the panels is still covered by SunPower.
It seems like an odd question, however, our neighbor had issues with his solar panels a few years after installation. By then, the company had been bought and his warranty was void. He is now looking into installing an entirely new solar array which is a huge investment. Again. Such a bummer.
What about timing for solar incentives? The price at which we could sell back our solar energy to the grid would be dropping after April 15, 2023. We wanted to be sure to finish the project (we did!) before this change. You can read more details here on Net Metering changes for April 15, 2023.
When you’re looking at proposals you’ll need:
Your energy usage so you can estimate how large your array needs to be.
You’ll want a solar panel system (array) that is close to (not under or over) your annual usage because right now, you’ll get paid ____ a kw/h for the energy you generate versus buying it.
Your current energy bill.