Another reason not to put Solar Panels on your house... You could have your insurance cancelled... Or double in cost...

[1 Wild R/T]

Crazy....

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

This is the catch 22 they get you in. They get so much return on their solar that they don't need utility company power but are then deemed a potential fire hazard by insurance because they generate so much "free" power. I get that they have a bunch of holes in a perfectly good roof to attach the panels and they can be a fire hazard but hey they are learning a lesson here.
Bottom line is if you have a mortgage they have you by the cahones.
Best to have solar panels off to the side of your house on their own.

 

[Rockland71GTX]

I would like to get solar panels 'sometime', now I have to consider insurance as part of the equation. Wasn't thinking about that before, thanks for the heads up!

 

[ckessel]

Last year there was an article in a conservative news channel, local here, that had an article about PG&E looking to cut the solar promotion because someone in the company deemed it racist since blacks could not be on the program. Really?? I didn't think it was exclusive since all you needed was to be a homeowner. Anyone with the means can own a home. This wasn't long after they were held responsible for the fire damage in the Sierra's. It's more likely they want to nail the ratepayers for the loss of revenue. We don't have solar and never will. My honey read ALL of the fine print from a local outfit, schlepping through Costco, which told some facts that even the outside sales gal was not aware of. Plus a biggie. What about the hazardous waste disposal when the panels and backup battery are toast? Kinda like the untold surprise about EV's.

 

[1967coronet]

At this stage of the game I doubt a large solar power system would be cost effective for us.
I like the passive solar in the winter months.
Open the curtains and let the sun shine in.

 

[ckessel]

Another thing coming in due time will be getting dinged for having them by the power company. They can only absorb the lost revenue cost for a finite time. Won't matter if you are totally independent from them. They want their dough. Similar has happened out here in the PRC on water. In some areas people with wells for their own supply are getting charged by the local provider even though they don't purchase water. Some municipalities have add ons to the bills like fire, emergency etc which I understand but to charge for beyond that is wrong. What, the low to mid 5 digit amount you charge for a meter doesn't get you enough revenue? Plus what they charge for the discharge if you are on sewer?

 

[mrhemi]

I went through this exercise a few years ago in Ontario. You really need to complete your due diligence to completely understand what you are getting roped into. Needless to say I do not have a solar array on my house. This is after I situated the house and shop to optimize solar panels. Another thing not mentioned in this thread so far is the need to insure that the roof structure can support the additional load. Don't get me started on insurance companies (legalized extortion).

 

[bm02tj]

Part off increased cost is fireman safety as they can not put water on live electrical so loss
could be greater

 

[Cranky]

There's a house about 400 feet away with a solar panel array and when the sun is just right, it's blinding!

 

[BearDodge67]

Where I work the college signed up for "free solar panels' on the roof deal, and feed the grid for all campus buildings. The lawyers missed the part of the contract where the company could back out if the cost of power fed back to the grid hit a certain point, they could back out of it. 4 buildings out of 20 got done before the plug got pulled by them.

Another friend in California (a tree hugger who drives a EV) put panels up.. Loves the free electricity, but the payback from the electric company for what he feeds the grid is in the form of a credit to next years electric bill.

As for insurance doubling, I don't blame the insurance companies. A good storm blows thru and instead of some shingles needing replacing, the whole roof gets torn off from the sail effect of the panels.

 

[Budnicks]

Another thing coming in due time will be getting dinged for having them by the power company. They can only absorb the lost revenue cost for a finite time. Won't matter if you are totally independent from them. They want their dough. Similar has happened out here in the PRC on water. In some areas people with wells for their own supply are getting charged by the local provider even though they don't purchase water. Some municipalities have add ons to the bills like fire, emergency etc which I understand but to charge for beyond that is wrong. What, the low to mid 5 digit amount you charge for a meter doesn't get you enough revenue? Plus what they charge for the discharge if you are on sewer?

PG&E already has a (*IIRC it's) for tier 1 system, a *$90 surcharge
(something like $150 (?) for tier 2 systems)
for wind &/or solar, so you will never be paying zero

Not to speak of the added cost and expense to get it installed
by a licensed contractor (I was one)
& many times you don't own it, you lease it
& in many cases, it's the township, city or the contractors (or electric co.)
who get the tax incentives, rebates etc., not you the homeowner
(better read the contract good, have a lawyer look at if need be)
&/or in any of the unexpected added insurance cost/premiums for another
$50k of coverage (*150% ins. replacement cost of $75k extortion)
&/or added surcharges (power co.) for more electrical services/panels
& an inverter, to convert DC to AC, all outside the home, taking up room,

More costs & expence, specially those without
'a sprinkler fire system indoors' (another ding),
they get you someway, somehow !!! you can bank on that fact
(they get you coming & going, maybe a 10% kickback for the big guy)

Or a fine print clause, in your contract;
it varies town/county/state or even just in rural area,
to the vicinity to where the nearest fire hydrant or fire station is,
related to your home & response times etc.
To how much I don't know

Here (Bay Area to Sacramento area) it was recently approved by
Gruesome Newsome & a Leftys, in bed with PG&E, bailed their asses out...
That they all are trying to mandate these deals, in new future homes too,
that want you to go solar, everything electric,
when we don't have the electric grid/capacities to support it
& add the millions of EVs they all want to mandate, added to the grid nightly,
but then want to punish you for doing it...

I had it/solar in Rancho Murieta/Sac. Co. from Oct. 1997 to Dec. 2007,
it made it pretty much, that I could run either my
pool filter/pump for roof panels, of water solar heating
(didn't need it much when it was 100*s for nearly 2 months in the summers, handy in the winter thou)
or off the 8) x 75watt panels (120 watt at 100%, it was never 100%)
on the southern exposure only, BS HOA rules
& 5 deep cycles "solar specific" Batteries,
expensive SOBs like $350 each in 1997, for storage & that
ran into to the inverter/110vt conversion, thru another subpanel
(both needed to be replaced after 5-ish years, that wasn't cheap either)
& house lights or the HVA/C unit for lil' to no costs,
for the rest of the house
S.M.U.D. Sacramento Municipal Utility District/not PG&E,
but they contract, had substation power with them...

My S.M.U.D./PG&E bill was like $70 a month
my house stayed at 70*-72* whether it was winter or summer...

I had a buddy that just started in the Solar/Wind energy buss.
that did the install, I owned the panels, I made sure of that...
It was about $30k in 1997 $$$s, for both
if I was to pay it over time/financed & not paid cash (like I did)
it would have been like $40k for the term of the contract,
& I really wouldn't have saved any, going without Solar at all
(It would have been more $$$, per month than just electricity from S.M.U.D.,
no natural gas there it was propane) between the SMUD & panels payment...

Installed over a tile roof, in the valley (I live in the mountains now)
where it's hot/sunny as f--k in the summer

I never did have my homeowners' insurance (legal extortion) increased/rise...
I had a fire hydrant right in front of my place
& the fire station was like 2 miles away...
in a gated community
I guess it 'was NOT yet', the racket/hidden up-sale (extortion)
that it is now

I was paying about $1,200 annually in Homeowners Ins.,
for each unit (Duplex) 125% coverage replacement...
I was with State Farm Insurance with all my vehicles, my co., liability
& all my homes (for 20+ years, before they left Cal. & then I went to AAA)
& State Farm would have been the 1st to do that ****, I'm sure...
Legal Extortion Racket...

Read the fine print, cover your own ***,
I did...
Lots of hidden BS & costs, that you will
never expect...

 

[BearDodge67]

PG&E already has a (*IIRC it's) for tier 1 system, a *$90 surcharge
(something like $150 (?) for tier 2 systems)
for wind &/or solar, so you will never be paying zero

Not to speak of the added cost and expense to get it installed
by a licensed contractor (I was one)
& many times you don't own it, you lease it
& in many cases, it's the township, city or the contractors
who get the tax incentives, rebates etc.
(better read the contract good, have a lawyer look at if need be)
&/or in added insurance cost/premiums for another
$50k of coverage (150% ins. replacement cost of $75k extortion)
&/or added surcharges (power co.) for more electrical services/panels
& an inverter, all outside the home
especially those without 'a sprinkler fire system indoors' (another ding),
they get you someway, somehow !!! you can bank on that fact
(they get you coming & going, maybe a 10% kickback for the big guy)

Or a fine print clause, in your contract;
it varies town/county/state or even just in rural area,
to the vicinity to where the nearest fire hydrant or fire station is,
related to your home & response times etc.
To how much I don't know

Here (Bay Area to Sacramento area) it was recently approved by
Gruesome Newsome & a Leftys, in bed with PG&E, bailed their asses out...
That they all are trying to mandate these deals, in new future homes too,
that want you to go solar, everything electric, when we don't have the grid to support it
& the millions of EVs added to the grid nightly, but then want to punish you for doing it...
View attachment 1450100

I had it/solar in Rancho Murieta/Sac. Co. from Oct. 1997 to Dec. 2007,
it made it pretty much, that I could run either my
pool filter/pump for roof panels, of water solar heating
(didn't need it much when it was 100*s for nearly 2 months in the summers, handy in the winter thou)
or off the 8) x 75watt panels (120 watt at 100%, it was never 100%)
on the southern exposure only, BS HOA rules
& 5 deep cycles "solar specific" Batteries,
expensive SOBs like $350 each in 1997, for storage & that
ran into to the inverter/110vt conversion, thru another subpanel
(both needed to be replaced after 5-ish years, that wasn't cheap either)
& house lights or the HVA/C unit for lil' to no costs,
for the rest of the house
S.M.U.D. Sacramento Municipal Utility District/not PG&E,
but they contract, had substation power with them...

My S.M.U.D./PG&E bill was like $70 a month
my house stayed at 70*-72* whether it was winter or summer...

I had a buddy that just started in the Solar/Wind energy buss.
that did the install, I owned the panels, I made sure of that...
It was about $30k in 1997 $$$s, for both
if I was to pay it over time/financed & not paid cash (like I did)
it would have been like $40k for the term of the contract,
& I really wouldn't have saved any, going without Solar at all
(It would have been more $$$, per month than just electricity from S.M.U.D.,
no natural gas there it was propane) between the SMUD & panels payment...

I never did have my homeowners' insurance (legal extortion) increased/rise...
I had a fire hydrant right in front of my place
& the fire station was like 2 miles away...
in a gated community
I guess it 'was NOT yet', the racket/hidden up-sale (extortion)
that it is now

I was paying about $1,200 annually in Homeowners Ins.,
for each unit (Duplex) 125% coverage replacement...
I was with State Farm Insurance with all my vehicles, my co., liability
& all my homes (for 20+ years, before they left Cal. & then I went to AAA)
& State Farm would have been the 1st to do that ****, I'm sure...
Legal Extortion Racket...

Read the fine print, cover your own ***,
I did...
Lots of hidden BS & costs, that you will
never expect...

My bosses neighbor went solar with those "free panels and installation, and get a monthly check from Con Ed". He didn't read the fine print, he had visions of free electricity and a paycheck for beer. The "free" part was actually a 30yr loan that used part of the payback from Con Ed to pay for it, complete with lien on the house. He found that part out when he went to sell the house couple years later and had to come up with over $25K to pay back the loan before he could list the house..

 

[toolmanmike]

My bosses neighbor went solar with those "free panels and installation, and get a monthly check from Con Ed". He didn't read the fine print, he had visions of free electricity and a paycheck for beer. The "free" part was actually a 30yr loan that used part of the payback from Con Ed to pay for it, complete with lien on the house. He found that part out when he went to sell the house couple years later and had to come up with over $25K to pay back the loan before he could list the house..

Read the fine print instead of listening to the salesman.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Read the fine print instead of listening to the salesman.

Couldn't these panels become sails/dangerous projectiles in a hurricane prone environment? Just a few good gusts during a nor'easter could start to loosen or fatigue the roof attachment points? I'm just saying.

 

[ckessel]

My wife read the fine print after the 1st person came out to measure, calculate panel amount etc. When the sales gal showed, my honey grilled her. The gal had herself not read the fine print, supposedly, and was surprised by what was in THEIR OWN INFORMATION. Needless to say, we don't have it and never will.

 

[barnfind]

1. Ground mount is the way to go. Permits and insurance add to the reason to go this route.
2. Most houses / shops are not engineered / rated for the additional weight load. Around here snow and wind are additional factors to consider. You need access to clear and clean the panels. I wouldn't want to be on top of a roof clearing snow.

 

[icetech]

I wish i could afford solar panels... i would have my garage roof covered in them.. or somewhere in the yard.. I don't understand how some people are against what is basically free unlimited power that will last another 10 billion years...

 

[slepr1]

I went through this exercise a few years ago in Ontario. You really need to complete your due diligence to completely understand what you are getting roped into. Needless to say I do not have a solar array on my house. This is after I situated the house and shop to optimize solar panels. Another thing not mentioned in this thread so far is the need to insure that the roof structure can support the additional load. Don't get me started on insurance companies (legalized extortion).

I had a solar array (16kw) installed on my garage roof last September. I didn't lease it or take part in any 3rd party deals. It was fairly straightforward. I received a $5k grant and the balance of the project was financed at 0% interest over 10 years though a federal program. Engineer from the solar company came and checked out the roof to see it it met the extra weight criteria and gave his stamp on the application for a permit. I called my insurance agent and all was covered for solar. The extra holes that were needed to attach the rail system that holds the panels were properly sealed and warrantied for 20 yrs that they won't leak.

During winter I don't clear any snow off the panels. The snow melts off. I'm not too concerned over the loss of solar gain while its covered up because not much solar is made in the winter months anyway. The system is designed to make your yearly electrical needs, meaning I make 3x the amount of power on sunny days (like this week) that will offset the lack of power generation during cloudy/snowy days. I removed my aging LNG furnace and installed an electric air source heat pump last year as well. My gas bill dropped by 90% and electric bill increased 2-3 times on the coldest months. We will see at the end of September this year if the solar array was sized properly. I think it will and optimistic their will be a surplus.

 

[BigFlo]

I wish i could afford solar panels... i would have my garage roof covered in them.. or somewhere in the yard.. I don't understand how some people are against what is basically free unlimited power that will last another 10 billion years...

I think you answered you own question. If it was "free" how can it be that you can't afford it?

 

[icetech]

I think you answered you own question. If it was "free" how can it be that you can't afford it?

The power is free, the equiptment to gather it isn't.... I figured context would have worked for that one but nope The nice thing is the more people that jump on board the better the tech gets and usually the prices will come down