Everything You Need to Know About Going Solar

Solar systems do not work at night because they need sunlight to produce energy.

Unless you have a power storage system, at night you will rely on utility credits generated by your solar system during the day to fulfill your electricity needs.

Solar panels work in the winter, but do not produce as much energy as in warmer and sunnier months. During the winter, your energy usage will rely more heavily on the utility/electricity credits built up through the net metering program.

Solar panels work on cloudy days but are not as productive as sunny days.

Like with any electrical product, extreme heat or cold will make your solar system less efficient and productive.

If you live in an area prone to extremely hot or cold weather your solar system may produce less energy than more temperate climates.

The average lifespan of solar panels and your solar system is typically between 30-50 years.

Solar Shingles like the GAF Timberline Solar™ Shingle are more durable than regular shingles and have a 50-year non-prorated warranty against manufacturing defects, and a 30-year warranty against contractor misapplication.

“It Will Change My Electricity and My Lights Will Flicker”

Solar is not going to change your electricity or cause your lights to flicker. The only “difference” you will see is on your monthly utility bill which will be significantly cheaper having switched to solar.

“There’s A ‘Catch’ On The Lease / PPA Program”

There is no catch and there are no hidden costs. We install your solar system for free, and we cover everything you need for your system, including your warranty, insurance, and maintenance. All you need to do is continue to make your reduced electricity payments.

If you purchase your solar system with cash or through a loan, you’ll be entitled to any tax credits that are available to you.

SmartRoof partners with Solar Tax Pros, a solar tax consultation firm, to help you maximize your energy tax incentives. Those incentives could include:

We have partnered with several industry leaders and offer multiple financing solutions for our members. Including the “GAF PowerSwitch Choice” offered through GAF’s partnership with Mosaic Finance, available solely for Timberline Solar™ Customers.

You’ll want to speak to a SmartRoof representative to help you get numbers for each of these scenarios. Our team of solar experts is standing by to help you. Book a solar consultation here.

Local, state, and federal incentives make adding solar to any roof repair or replacement worthy of consideration. Rack-mounted solar panels are often a good solution for homes with relatively new roofs. While solar shingles like GAF Timberline Solar™ can only be installed when your entire roof is replaced.

The cost delta between each really depends on your unique situation. Our expert can help you sort it out.

The FTC is a federal tax credit and is worth 30% of your total system cost.
Get more information on Clean Energy Tax Credits here.

If you are in an energy community you are eligible for another 10% bonus.
You can check your location on the US Department of Energy map here.

Home Envelope Efficiency Bonuses are also available. Up to $3,200/yr for 10 years to make your home more energy efficient. Get more information here.

We have partnered with Solar Tax Pros, a solar tax consultation firm, to assist you with your energy tax incentives. On average they can find an additional 15-40% of additional incentives based on your Net Metering Agreement with your utility company.

When getting a solar system you want to make sure you have a warranty and are clear on what the warranty covers. We recommend looking for a roof leak warranty around 10 years.

At SmartRoof we warranty solar panel systems for 25 years with an option to extend that warranty in two 5-year increments. Ultimately, you could warranty your solar panels and system for 35 years.

If you have installed a GAF Timberline Solar™ roofing system you are covered by the GAF Golden Pledge Warranty. That includes a 50-year non-prorated warranty against manufacturing defects, and a 30-year warranty against contractor misapplication. More details here.

There are a few options for monitoring the activity and effectiveness of your solar panels:

1. Outside Energy Meter – your first option is to look at the energy meter attached to the exterior of your home. On this meter you will see arrows pointing left and right, allowing you to see whether your energy is running forwards or backwards.
2. SolarEdge App – if you purchase your system through a cash or loan purchase, you can use the SolarEdge phone app to track how much energy your solar system is producing, how much money you are saving on your utility bill, and how many energy credits you’ve built up on your account.
3. Sunnova App – if you purchase your solar system through the PPA program or through a lease, you can use the Sunnova phone app to track the output of your system and the credits/savings you’re building up.
4. My GAFenergy Account – if you have installed a GAF TImberline Solar™ roofing system you can use the My GAFenergy account to monitor system output. Talk to your sales rep for help setting up your account.

Solar energy feeds back into the grid through the net metering program. When solar panels produce excess energy (energy you won’t use/need) that energy funnels back into the grid. You are then awarded credits for energy in your account which you can use to power your home at night.

At the end of each night, any remaining unused energy credits left in your utility account will roll over into the next day and beyond.

At the end of the year, if you have enough energy credits left in your utility account, then the utility company will actually PAY YOU for overflow energy you’ve supplied to the grid.

Time of use rates are the rates your utility company charges you for energy throughout the day. Generally, in the peak hours (between 2pm – 6pm) they charge you more, and in the off-hours (late evening, early morning) they charge you less.

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) or Solar Renewable Energy Credits, are a form of Renewable Energy Certificate or “green tag”. SRECs exist in states that have Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) legislation with specific requirements for solar energy, usually referred to as a “solar carve-out”.

The additional income received from selling SRECs increases the financial value of a solar investment and assists with the financing of solar technology. In conjunction with state and federal incentives, solar system owners can recover their investment in solar by selling their SRECs through spot market sales or long-term sales, both described below.

SmartRoof has partnered with SolSystems, a SREC market maker, to streamline the process for homeowners. We will register your system with them and they will reach out to you to provide you with options depending on your risk profile.

Net metering is the process of getting energy/utility credits from the energy that your solar system produces. Solar panels or shingles typically produce more energy than your home can use. The excess energy goes into the utility grid to be used elsewhere.

By releasing energy from your system back into the grid, you are not only supplying your neighbors with clean power produced by your solar system but you are also building up credits of energy in your utility account.

At night when your solar system stops producing energy for your home, you will feed off the energy grid using the credits of energy you built up in your utility account during the day.

Even though you’re using the energy from your utility company, you aren’t paying for it because you’re using your energy credits that you built up during the day.

At the end of each night, any remaining unused energy credits left in your utility account will roll over into the next day and beyond.

At the end of the year, if you have enough energy credits left in your utility account, then the utility company will actually PAY YOU for overflow energy you’ve supplied to the grid.

This back and forth between your home solar system and the energy grid is called net metering. Find out more here.

Grid-tie solar is synonymous with the concept of net metering, the process through which your solar energy builds up credits of energy in your utility account.

Off-grid solar refers to the concept of using a battery backup to store excess solar energy rather than release the excess energy back onto the public grid. Off-grid is less commonly used because many districts and zones make it illegal to be disconnected from the grid.