Hi Stephen,
My responses:
1. I disagree, especially for composition shingle roofed homes that most often are a shade of gray to black. Modern arrays blend right in. I know Florida can have tile roofs so yes, the array would stand out on a clay tile background, but the all-black sleek looks of modern arrays is not ugly.
2. Electric bills are costly, and they will need to be paid forever unless you do something about it. Properly designed and installed solar will always pay for itself in my experience, and usually, many times over. It truly is one of the safest investments you can make with your money.
3. Properly installed solar uses flashed mounts that will not leak. As always, you get what you pay for and should always look for an experienced contractor that will stand behind their work with a workmanship warranty.
4. Bingo, it pays to do your homework. It is a large investment and you need to be comfortable with the contractor. Skip the fast talking salesman with the hard sell, and get quotes from local, experienced solar contractors, that will sit down with you and explain how solar works, what each component does, what brands they use and why, who in their organization do you call if you need support, and any other questions you may have. And when they do, try to verify their answers by doing independent research or comparing to info from others, to weed out the BSr's. If they cannot get answers to all your questions to your satisfaction, get a quote from another contractor.
------------------------------
Ken Nadsady
AviSun Renewable Energy
Hudson OH
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-30-2023 02:35 PM
From: Stephen Vadas
Subject: What keeps homeowners from going solar?
I am a Registered Professional Engineer in Florida and I have heard a few concerns from homeowners.
1. PV panels are not attractive and detract from the beauty of the home, especially if installed on the front roof that becomes visible from the street.
2. The expense of a PV system is costly and not a high priority for many homeowners. They seemed to doubt that such a system would really save them money.
3. Several homeowners indicated that they have had roof leaks during rainstorms.
4. It was difficult for homeowners to assess the competence, reliability, and honesty of the proposed contractor who will be installing the PV system. Some had difficulty in understanding the nuances of the system and if all components were indeed necessary and required for adequate system performance.
There may be additional concerns that I can't recall at this time.
------------------------------
Stephen Vadas, Ph.D., P.E.
Consulting Engineer
Paradigm Drift LLC
Saint James City FL
Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2023 12:16 PM
From: Kyle Combes
Subject: What keeps homeowners from going solar?
Hi All,
I'm new to ASES and this forum, but I wanted to pose a question to the community: What keeps people who own their own homes from going solar in this day and age? I know that location and sun availability will affect the payback period, but what else gets in the way?
Thank you for your thoughts!
------------------------------
Kyle Combes
Software Engineer & Technical Product Manager
Oceanworks, Inc
------------------------------