Clean Solar Panels: should you?
Should you clean solar panels? Probably not. Should somebody? Maybe. Is it included in your service? That depends. Can you avoid it? Quite possibly. Let’s take a look at the different scenarios. Sun Through Glass Solar modules are topped with a sheet of glass. I’ve heard the installers say, “we have glass on the roof,” […]
Solar Consultant for Valentine’s Day Solar
Last Valentine’s Day (2018), Richard, a homeowner in Martinez, invited me and a SunStor Solar consultant colleague to his home to show him the solar analysis and preliminary design we had prepared. I remember it as one of my favorite solar consultations, thanks to the unexpected presence of his valentine, Dianne. And not just because […]
Solar Analysis Paralysis
Over the past few years I considered at least three solar proposals for my house before I was ready for solar. I had even accepted one proposal before canceling it the next day. But it wasn’t until I had also been in the solar industry for a year, myself, that I actually took the first […]
“How Many Solar Panels?”
— Might Be the Wrong Question There are many reasons why counting solar modules/panels doesn’t work very well as a tool for comparing one residential solar-electric system to another. Whether evaluating an existing system or a proposed new one, the primary consideration is its electric production in kWhs. How many solar modules are there is […]
Free solar true, or too good to be believed?
In the past few years, I listened to four solar sales pitches for my own household. One of the things that stopped me from buying was that “free” solar sounded too good to be true. Then, in 2017, I began selling solar, myself. Interest rates were lower, and “no cash down” was the rule. Solar […]
Too Many Solar Panels?
It’s not unusual for someone to purchase a home with solar already on it. Because the original purchaser of the system chose how many solar panels to install based on the needs of their household, the size may not match the needs of the new one. Additionally, there can be a misunderstanding of how the […]
Four Best Ways to Obtain Electric Power
Purchase Electricity from the Utility Purchase Power from the Utility grid Old Term: usually the rest of your life, plus 30 days, or electric debt forever Term, today: until you switch to one of the below Still the most common way to get electricity Pay for the power you use Higher rates for heavy users […]
Comparing Best & Worst Electricity Deals
Let’s say you move out of your parents’ home and set up your own place. You call up the Utility and they tell you what rate schedule you’re on. Although there might be one or two options, these are not negotiable. On a regular basis, strangers decide what you’ll be paying per kilowatt. They invite […]
Welcome Homeowners, Buyers and Real Estate Pros, to Solar!
Solar With Sandra This is Solar With Sandra, my new blogsite to give some solar help to real estate professionals, including agents, appraisers, loan officers, escrow and title. Solar Homebuyers and sellers, or anyone interested in the practical side of electric generation using rooftop solar, can find help, here, too. I’m new to blogging on […]