Frequently Asked Solar Questions
There are many advantages of solar energy such as greatly reducing how much you rely on big utility companies while saving money at the same time! We believe in providing excellent service by offering a first-class experience for all of our customers. Ready to go solar? Call, message, or chat with us to find out how much you can save by getting solar today!
Solar panels are a vital component of any solar power for home system because they are responsible for capturing the sun’s rays in order to generate electricity. When sunlight hits a solar panel, photons are converted into electrons.
Energy particles are absorbed by the solar cells whenever they come in contact with the sun’s rays allowing for the electrons to flow across the panel. This movement of electrons creates direct current “DC” electricity.
An inverter is a crucial part of a solar power for home system as it is needed to convert the produced DC electricity into Alternating Current “AC” electricity. Once the electricity has been converted to AC, it is then sent to your home to be used.
All converted AC electricity is sent to your home’s electrical panel where it is now ready to power your home and even keep your lights on during blackouts or inclement weather if you have a solar backup battery.
The Many Advantages of Solar Energy
The benefits and advantages of solar energy have never been better than they are right now! Check out the questions that our customers have asked when it comes to the advantages of solar energy and how it can benefit them. Have a question? Contact us at any time and one of our energy experts will be happy to help!
Residential Solar
Most homeowners see up to a 70% savings off their electric bill their first month generating power. With our easy lending programs, our customers pay zero down to receive solar. Our energy experts will customize your solar power system to exactly what you need, nothing more. Our number one priority is providing you with a first-class experience and that starts with honesty, integrity, and education.
It’s important to know that not all solar manufacturers are the same especially when it comes to the equipment they offer. The panels that we specialize in and promote to our customers can last over 40 years while still operating at 85% efficiency
While it may sound daunting to learn about an entirely new form of energy, we are here to help. Astound Energy has helped lots of homeowners and organizations just like you go solar. We’ll guide you through the steps to taking your home or business solar – which are simpler than you might think.
The amount of savings when going solar varies by state in accordance with local utility costs. With Astound Energy you can be certain that your utility costs will be less than what you are currently paying. When you contact us an energy expert will help you understand what you can expect to save by making the switch to solar.
This is a great question and varies for every homeowner. By contacting one of our energy experts, we can discuss your goals on why you want to go solar. Then provide you a comprehensive solution as to why solar can be a great investment for you, your home and your community.
We specialize in 3 different ways for you to obtain a solar power or solar backup battery system, giving you the freedom to choose what works best for you! There are three primary ways to pay for solar: with cash, with a loan, or with a lease. Most can go solar with $0 down!
There are many tax incentives and credits that you could qualify for including the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit program that offers a tax credit worth 26% of the value of a system installed in 2021. Take advantage of this very valuable incentive now before the federal tax credit program ends.
In most cases, you won’t need to clean your solar panels often, if at all. After all, anything that accumulates dirt on them (for example, dust or pollen), will get washed off the next time it rains. There are some times it might make sense to clean your solar panels though.
Cleaning your panels is a quick and easy process. Fill a bucket with clean water and add a small amount of soap. Rinse solar panels with clean water to clear away loose dirt. Use a soft scrubber and soapy water from the bucket to gently wash the surface of the panels. Rinse the solar panels with clean water from the hose a second time.
Yes, not only can adding solar panels to a home save energy costs and help the environment, it also can potentially increase a home’s value. Studies now support, homes with non-leased solar- systems sold for 4.1% more on average than comparable homes without solar. They also sold faster than comparable homes without solar.
Depending on if you lease or own your solar system will vary. For example, if you still have a loan on your solar system, you just add what is owed to the purchase price of the home. Once sold, you pay off the solar system and all available warranties will be transferred to the new homeowner. Please ask one of our energy experts for additional details as every solar manufacturer have different warranties and policies.
The advantages of solar energy have never been better. Environmentally, solar power systems create clean energy that won’t contribute to air pollution. They also create energy without water nor have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
Financially, solar energy will also help save you thousands of dollars in reduced energy costs. This occurs through tax credits, net metering, and other incentives to keep the cost of solar low. You also won’t have to worry about blackouts or rising rate hikes that are dictated by big utility companies!
Battery Backup Systems
When integrating solar technology with a solar battery backup, it’s important to ensure solar panels and solar batteries work together in a way that achieves your energy goals. Adding battery storage to your solar installation helps increase savings by reducing the demand charge component of your utility bill and shifting grid energy usage to less expensive times of the day. Our energy storage solutions increase energy savings with a state-of-the-art intelligent control system, which uses advanced predictive analytics to charge and discharge energy from the batteries at precise times for maximum benefit.
Costs vary from project to project and are impacted by many factors—project location, utility rates, available tax incentives and more are all key considerations in determining the value of solar battery backup solutions. Astound Energy will work with you to develop a thorough analysis of your unique situation and help determine if integrating solar energy storage is the right choice for you.
When solar and solar battery backup is purchased as a joint solution or as a stand-alone it is eligible for the Federal ITC. That said, tax credits are subject to change Astound Energy does not warrant, guarantee or otherwise advise its partners or customers about specific tax outcomes. We suggest that you consult with your tax advisor regarding the solar tax credit and how it applies to your specific circumstances.
With Tesla’s Powerwall you can store solar energy generated during the day for use at any time. It is compatible with most solar systems, consists of a 13.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, liquid thermal control system, an integrated inverter, and software that intelligently dispatches electricity when it’s needed most.
As with many other home battery products, SunPower’s SunVault 13 kWh Storage system is sized for day-to-day use that intelligently dispatches electricity when it’s needed most. It is designed to work in tandem with a SunPower solar system.
Solar battery backup systems are a great addition to any solar power system since it allows you to store the energy you’re producing for use at a later time.
Solar panels convert photons from sunlight into DC power, which is converted into usable AC power by the inverter. The power produced by solar panels that are not used to power the home is stored in the battery. Solar battery backups are discharged to power the home. This can be at night, during outages, or when utility rates are higher.
Solar panels use the sun’s rays to generate electricity Therefore, on rainy, cloudy, or snowy days your solar system will still generate electricity. We use state-of-the-art software when building your solar design that takes the longitude/latitude of your home, elevation, decades of weather conditions, and sundial rotation to properly calculate how many solar panels you will need to achieve your goals.
Additionally, our solar battery backup systems are a great solution to energy usage during panel downtime as it lets you use the energy you produced at a later time.
Commercial Solar
Time is money, it’s true. And in the case of energy, time costs more money every year. Electricity rates go up year after year, and are impossible to predict. Investing in solar now protects your business from price volatility. Depending on your location and whether you choose to buy or lease your solar system, you can lock in low electricity rates for 20 years or more, and even eliminate 100% of your electricity bill.
While it may sound daunting to learn about an entirely new form of energy, we are here to help. Astound Energy has helped lots of organizations just like yours go solar. We’ll guide you through the steps to taking your business solar – which are simpler than you might think.
Choosing to go solar isn’t just a financial decision. It’s an environmental choice. Businesses that cultivate a focus on sustainability are experiencing powerful brand effects. A solar panel system on your business makes a strong statement to your customers. Their relationship with your brand grows. Employees walk just a little bit taller knowing the business they work for is running on clean energy. Study after study shows that sustainability isn’t just good for the planet; it’s good for business
For any business, finding new sources of capital to reinvest in the company can be difficult. Solar saves your business money that would otherwise be spent on utility bills. The bottom-line benefits are undeniable. According to a 2016 SunPower survey, 87% of business respondents cite saving money as one of the primary reasons for funding solar projects—with some projected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) in electricity costs over the life of their commercial solar panel system. That’s money that directly impacts your bottom line.
The longer you wait to think about solar, the more it costs your business. Commercial prices for solar have decreased 58% since 2012.* However, recent policy decisions suggest we may be nearing the bottom of that downward trajectory. The federal investment tax credit (ITC) for commercial solar was equal to 30% of the amount invested in an eligible installation. However, the ITC rate decreased to 26% in 2021, and will fall to 10% after 2022. Meantime, electricity prices continue to increase year over year. The sooner you decide to go solar, the more you can save.
Costs vary from project to project and are impacted by many factors—project location, utility rates, available tax incentives and more are all key considerations in determining the value of commercial battery storage solutions. Astound Energy will work with you to develop a thorough analysis of your unique situation and help determine if integrating solar energy storage is the right choice for you.
Solar panels use the sun’s rays to generate electricity Therefore, on rainy, cloudy, or snowy days your solar system will still generate electricity. We use state of the art software when building your solar design that takes the longitude / latitude of your home, elevation, decades of weather conditions and sun dial rotation to properly calculate how many solar panels you will need to achieve your goals.
Cleaning your panels is a quick and easy process. Fill a bucket with clean water and add a small amount of soap. Rinse solar panels with clean water to clear away loose dirt. Use a soft scrubber and soapy water from the bucket to gently wash the surface of the panels. Rinse the solar panels with clean water from the hose a second time.
Installation Process
Normally installation takes less than 1 day, occasionally it can take up to 2 days if it’s a very large system. Astound Energy takes care of everything involved in the installation of your system, including system design and all applicable permits and inspections.
An Astound Energy expert will schedule a consultation to outline the benefits and savings you can expect by going solar and/or backup batteries. Based on that initial consultation we will provide you a custom design that meets your energy goals. If it is right for your home or business, we will then do all the required paperwork, site survey, permitting and a certified installation team will then install your solar panel system and/or backup batteries. You can expect to begin saving money immediately thereafter!
Yes! We provide you a single point of contact from your initial consultation to activating your solar system and/or backup batteries with your utility company. This ensures a seamless level of communication from start to finish vs. being handed off to multiple people after the sale. We do all the leg work for you like your solar design, site survey, paperwork, permits, install and final inspection. We are your one stop shop for solar and backup batteries!
If you can afford to pay your electricity bill you can afford to go solar. $0-down solar and/or backup battery financing options, including both loans and leases, we make it easy for homeowners and businesses with good credit to start saving on their electricity bills by going solar.
Excess energy produced by your solar panels during the day is sent to the utility grid for future credits as well as to the optional backup battery storage system. Backup Batteries allows you to still power your home or business even when the power goes out, if there is inclement weather or during high peak usage times with your utility company.
Referral Program
Anyone who owns a home is a candidate for solar – especially those who pay high energy bills. Consider your:
- Friends
- Family
- Neighbors
- Colleagues
- Customers
- Abnormally high energy bills
- Exposed roofs – no shading or other sun-blocking elements
- Harsh climates – hot summers and cold winters that require frequent A/C and heater usage
- Energy-sucking appliances and features, like pools, hot tubs, saunas, etc.
Anyone is welcome to participate in our referral program! The rules are the same whether you’re a customer or not – you’ll receive up to $1000 for every referral that goes solar with us. No limits – send as many referrals as you’d like and watch the rewards stack up.
Start with your own solar experience – talk about the benefits you’ve seen, such as lower energy bills, less concern about running the A/C in the summer, etc. If you’ve had a great experience, your friends and family will likely be interested in learning more about how they can get a similar experience for themselves.
Many people are unfamiliar with the financial benefits of going solar – in many cases, the perception is that going solar is a luxury purchase. Explaining the fact that going solar can save homeowners money is a great way to get the conversation started. Homeowners who go solar often see lower payments for electricity from day one, and the long-term financial benefits are almost always significant.
When speaking with a new potential customer, our energy consultants often start by asking one of two simple questions:
- Have you ever thought about going solar before?
- What got you interested in going solar?
The possibilities are endless! Every solar customer you refer that completes an installation will earn you up to $1000! There is no limit to how much you can earn!
EV Charging Stations
Our EV charging station installations convert direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC), which is the form of electricity that both your home and electric vehicle use. If you already have a solar system you only need to purchase an electric vehicle charging station in order to route the power from your solar panels to your electric vehicle.
This depends on the range and capacity of your electric vehicle’s battery, as well as your home’s viability for solar panels. A typical homeowner driving 12,000 miles a year will need about 3,500 AC kWh a year of Electricity to charge their vehicle from home. Depending on the amount of sun your home receives and the solar panels used will determine how many solar panels will be needed.
In the United States, all EVs except for Tesla use the same connector for Level 1 and Level 2 charging. For Level 3 charging there are three standard connectors currently in use.
Most homes in the US can add a circuit for a Level 2 charger without the need to upgrade the service. A Level 2 charger needs a dedicated 240-volt circuit like that of an electric clothes dryer or electric kitchen range.
Every electric vehicle comes with a portable charger. Some are Level 1, some are Level 2 and others come with adapters that allow them to plug in and charge from both Level 1 and Level 2 outlets. Some units are all the owner will need to charge their EV, but others aren’t powerful enough and owners will want to buy a more powerful charger.
On average, Level 2 chargers cost between $250 and $1,000, depending on the power and features available. Installation typically ranges from $200 to $1,000 but can get into the thousands if you require a service upgrade to add the additional circuit needed.
Solar Power Projects
The advantages of solar energy have never been clearer! From solar panel installations to solar battery storage installations you can be sure you are getting the best solar power system at the best price from the best solar company in the industry! Don’t just take our word for it, take a look at some of our completed projects and see for yourself!
