Shopping for Solar FAQ

Because the savings with solar are best expressed as a percentage of what the homeowner was paying with the utility, those with high utility bills will save more money by going solar than those with low utility bills. Homeowners with average electricity bills of $100 or more per month (averaged over 12 months) are great candidates for saving money by going solar. Homeowners with average electricity bills of less than $100 per month will save money by going solar, but the savings may not be enough to justify the purchase. There are other benefits to going solar besides cost savings, such as benefits to the environment, that may compel homeowners with low utility bills to go solar anyways.

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Whether solar panels are worth it for you depends on several factors:

• Did you get a good deal on your solar system?
• How does your utility company interact with solar?
• How much electricity do you use in your home?
• How high are your electricity bills?
• What solar company are you going with?

To learn more about whether solar panels will be worth it to you, schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

In 2003, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that it is unlawful to prevent a homeowner from installing solar panels on their home. This law on this is located here: Arizona Revised Statutes 33-439.

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For customers that are outside of Phoenix, Arizona, we provide virtual consultations using Zoom. All of our customers can receive a remote virtual consultation if they prefer this over an in-person meeting at their home.

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Sometimes, especially with homes that are two stories or more, roof space becomes a concern when looking into solar. Homes with two stories or more typically have the same roof space as a single story, but more people are living there and more space must be cooled by the air conditioner in the summer, which results in more energy usage.

Each solar panel generates a certain amount of energy, and if the roof space isn’t big enough to match the home’s energy usage to the solar generation of electricity, this can be a concern. The good news is that home’s with high energy usage will typically see a cost savings by putting any number of solar panels on the roof, even if that number of panels produces below the “optimal” level of electricity. We also have upgraded solar panels that produce more energy (watts) per panel but take up the same amount of space, and we use these upgraded panels when roof space is a concern to match the energy generation to the home’s usage.

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We provide 25-year end-to-end warranties on your entire system when it is installed, but the solar systems typically last much longer than the 25-year period. Just because the manufacturer’s warranty on your car ends after four (4) years does not mean your car will stop working then. The same is true for solar panel systems.

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The amount of solar panels you need depends on several factors:

• Your goals with solar power;
• Amount of electricity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) used at your home in the last 12 months;
• Physical dimensions, wattage, and efficiency of the panels used;
• Amount of roof space you have available (or land available for a ground mount);
• How your electric utility interacts with residential solar systems;
• Whether you will install a grid-tied system or an off-grid system; and
• The climate and amount of sunlight in your area.

See our page on How Many Solar Panels Do I Need in Arizona? for more information.

Solar panels cost about $18,000 for an entire system. They range between about $3,500 to $35,000 depending on the type of panels and the size needed for your application.

See our page on the cost of solar panels and batteries for more information.

The average cost of a solar panel system in $18,000. We offer special solar loans with no upfront cost to help you finance your system.

See our page on the cost of solar panels and batteries for more information.

The great thing about going solar with Phoenix Solar Panel Systems is that we take care of EVERYTHING for you. How much time you spend is really up to you. We are happy to spend many hours at your home, and on the phone, answering your questions. We are always available to you when you have a question or concern.

If you don’t wish to ask any questions, all we need is about a half-an-hour of your time to present the cost savings to you and sign the documents related to the sale of your solar system. After you sign, we literally handle every aspect of installing and turning on your solar system, and no more of your time is needed. In fact, you don’t even need to be at your home for the site inspection or installation of your solar system if you don’t want to be!

The reality is that EVERYONE has the time to go solar because so little time is needed from our customers to complete the entire buying process.

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

Most people that initially have reservations about the aesthetics of solar panels on their roof decide that the cost savings outweigh the perceived “bad look”. Many customers enjoy the look of solar panels on their home, as it provides the home with a modern, updated look. We use the most modern and aesthetically pleasing panels available on the market today. In many cases, based on the orientation of the home, the solar panels cannot even be seen from the front of the home or the street. Typically, the solar panels cannot be seen on homes that are two stories or more.

Some customers decide to build or purchase a structure, such as a metal car covering or storage container, to place their solar system on. Solar panels can be installed on many different types of structures, as long as the structure can hold the weight of the solar panels. Mounting the solar panels on the ground is an option, however there are extra costs involved.

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

The residential solar industry is always changing. For example, loan interest rates before COVID were always 3.99% and above. When COVID came in 2020, solar loan interest rates dropped to 0.49%! As time goes on, the materials used in solar systems continue to drop in price, which translates to lower prices for homeowners.

Government and utility incentives for going solar are always changing. For example, the Federal Government’s solar tax credit was supposed to drop to 22% in 2022 and then disappear in 2023. However, the tax credit was increased to 30% and extended to 2034 through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Pricing will vary between solar companies, and this depends on many factors. Phoenix Solar Panel Systems is known for their affordable pricing and it is likely they can beat the last quote you received from a competitor.

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During your solar consultation, our representative will analyze your current electricity usage from your most recent utility bill, so please have that ready at the time of your consultation. With that usage information, the representative will custom build a solar system on your home using advanced software. Then, they will let you know how much money you can save by going solar.

You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you like during this meeting. Consultations typically last between 30 minutes to an hour-and-a-half depending on how many questions you have.

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

Typically, solar consultations are done at the customer’s home with a solar representative. The representative is there to educate you on residential solar panel technology and explain the benefits of going solar.

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

The reason why so many people in the Phoenix area have already gone solar is because they save money on their electricity. Every customer of Phoenix Solar Panel Systems has the capability of saving AT LEAST 20% on their monthly energy costs by going solar. Some customers have saved up to 85% per month!

Most solar customers take out a special solar loan to finance their solar system. These loans have incredibly low interest rates, are partially subsidized by the government, and are spread out over long terms to make the monthly payments low and affordable. The total amount of the solar loan may be perceived by some as “a lot of money”. However, the loan amount pales in comparison to how much money the homeowner will pay if they don’t go solar and stay with APS or SRP as their sole source of electricity. Customers that go solar have the capability of saving between $50,000 to $200,000 over a 20-year period when compared with buying electricity from the utility company alone without a solar system.

See our page on the cost of solar panels and batteries for more information.

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!

Once you have decided to go solar and signed the paperwork, the solar installation process begins. This process typically takes around one to three months, but it may take longer depending on how fast your city approves permits.

1. Site Survey : We come to your home to verify the planned solar system design. We will check your roof, attic, and potential placement locations of the solar system components. If any repairs or updates are needed before installation, you will be notified. Most of our customers cover the costs of any repairs or updates by adding the additional amount into their existing solar loan. You typically do not need to be home for the site survey, unless you want to be.
2. System Design Approval : You will have the opportunity to approve the solar system design at your home. If any changes were made from the original design, you will review the changes and approve them, or request additional changes.
3. Permit Approval : We will send the permit application and final designs to the city and wait for their approval.
4. Installation : Installation typically takes between one to three days, depending on your solar system size. You typically do not need to be home for the installation, unless you want to be.
5. Final City Inspection : The city inspector comes to your home to check for code adherence and design accuracy.
6. Utility Interconnection : The utility company representative will inspect the installation and approve it. After receiving Permission to Operate (PTO), the switch is flipped and you are using clean power!

At this point, the solar panels are as thin as they can possibly get, and they are mounted as low on the roof as possible. The only direction technology is going with solar systems is that more electricity production capability is being put into each panel. However, the new panels with more production capability cost much more than the older panels with less production capability, and therefore solar companies rarely use the latest and greatest panels.

The only benefit you will have by waiting for technology to advance is that in the future you will need 18 panels on your roof instead of 20 panels. The cost savings for buying two less panels will pale in comparison to the cost savings you will enjoy by going solar now and ceasing the purchase of 100% of your energy from the utility. Going solar now is the right decision because the rate at which the utilities buy solar energy from homeowners continues to drop every year. Homeowners must act now to lock in their buy back rate!

Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!