The Three Most Common Objections to Going Solar
Whether you are considering solar for your home or your business, you are most likely going to have one if
Whether you are considering solar for your home or your business, you are most likely going to have one if
Whether you are considering solar for your home or your business, you are most likely going to have one if not all three of the below concerns.
No doubt, installing solar power is an investment. And like most investments, its best to spend some time getting all your concerns and questions answered until you feel comfortable that solar is right for you. But just like any investment, if you can see that the returns of solar power are greater than its costs, it is wise to move forward. This explains the last decade’s boom in solar power installments and why forecasts show that it’s going to continue.
In this article, we are going to cover three of the biggest concerns that homeowners and business owners alike will have when you consider switching to solar power. But before we do that, lets quickly re-cap on some of the obvious benefits that solar power has to offer, in other words, why would you consider going solar in the first place.
It’s that time of the month, your electricity bill just arrived in the mail. Except this time, you’re smiling instead of cringing. In fact, you’re almost laughing. And as you open the letter and stare at the bottom right corner of the electric bill, your smile gets even bigger because this month you’re paying a grand total of $4.85 – that’s right, you’re electricity bill costs less than a big-mac combo meal. Well, we can’t promise we’ll get everybody’s bill that low but if you can offset 100% of your power through solar power all you’ll be paying are nominal transmission fees and taxes.
That’s the power of solar energy and that’s the number one advantage – cost savings.
Be it for your home or business, electricity often costs too much money. Why should you limit yourself or your business production and build in routines that work around energy costs? Always trying to save. Being able to generate your own energy through solar panels, you’ll be able to relax and focus on the things that require your attention the most without worrying if someone left the lights on in the kitchen or in the conference room or if you’re thermostat is running on schedule.
While you’ll pay for the solar installment itself, the investment will soon pay itself off. Due to many available state programs, financing and incentives, you will be able to experience instant savings with monthly payments much less than what your monthly energy bills used to – with an added bonus of the peace of mind that comes with generating your own electricity.
If you’re considering solar power for your home or your business the first thing you should do is view it as an investment, as opposed to an expense. An investment can be defined as goods or services purchased today that will give you return in the future. And since solar power has definite returns, it’s an investment.
To start with, installing solar equipment on your home or office building immediately increases the value of your property. Multiple real-estate studies show that homes with solar panels not only increase in value, but they also sell faster than homes that do not have solar panels. As demand for solar continues to increase, homebuyers are not only starting to appreciate homes already equipped with solar but are looking for them.
Per money.com, on average, solar panels raise a home’s value by 4.1% across the U.S., according to a new Zillow analysis of homes across the country— that’s a boost of $9,274 on a $226,300 home, according to the study.
But what about solar’s ROI aspect? Thanks to the dramatic savings you experience when switching to solar, the average American homeowner pays off their solar equipment within seven to eight years and see an ROI of 20% or more.
Have you ever heard of the “Hershey Bar Index”?
If you haven’t that’s an index that the Hershey’s company keeps on the pricing of their famous Hershey Bar. In 1908, eight years after it was first invented, a Hershey’s bar cost .02 cents. Over the past century, despite the great depression and the US inflation rate rise in the 70s, the price for a Hershey’s bar, along with most candy bars, has steadily increased. Today a Hershey’s bar costs .99 cents + tax.
Chocolate and energy have this in common – steadily increasing prices.
In the past ten years, electricity prices have gone up by an average of 3% each year. And as the U.S. uses more and more electricity, the prices will continue to rise. A bill that costs $500 today is going to cost you about $620 in ten years. If you’re a business, a franchise, or a larger manufacturer or corporation, you’ll be seeing substantial increases depending on how much you are currently paying.
Installing solar power on your home or business fixes your electricity rate to zero, protecting you against increases in electricity pricing, putting you in complete control.
While it may not be at the forefront of your mind every day and while this may not be the main reason why you switch to solar power, it none-the-less is an amazing benefit.
Do you remember to travel with your parents when you were a kid? Your mom or dad would go into these “smoking rooms” at the airport while waiting for your lay overflight, the only designated indoor rooms in the airport where people could smoke. And did you ever wonder how people could sit in a room full of smoke, whereas you could barely breathe in it after a few seconds? That’s because you didn’t smoke. To the people who smoke, it was normal. Just like that, people get used to breathing in bad air to the point they don’t notice it.
You don’t need to believe in global warming to understand that pouring 5.1 billion metric tons of energy-related pollution into the air each year isn’t good for the planet – and that’s just what the U.S. produces.
Countless studies show that as years pass, the air we breathe is more and more contaminated with pollutants that are harmful to our bodies and have been proven to cause physical issues.
By switching to solar energy, you are reducing your carbon footprint and helping reduce the amount of pollution that is produced when burning fossil fuels to make electricity.
But there is also another way that solar power is good for your environment, or more specifically your community. If you’re the kind of person who likes to buy from the local fruit stand up the street or the local farmers market because it’s locally sourced goods and because you like supporting local businesses and your community, then you’ll appreciate this aspect of solar power.
Earlier in this article, we made a mention of a solar boom. For the past decade, the U.S. has installed more and more solar which in turn has created a massive boom in solar-related jobs.
According to The Solar Foundation, the solar industry adds jobs many times faster than the overall U.S. economy.
Last year Forbes wrote a fantastic article about how the solar boom was creating great economic opportunities (see Renewable Energy Job Boom Creates Economic Opportunity As Coal Industry Slumps).
The solar industry provides people in your community with higher-paying jobs because the work cannot be out-sourced. By installing solar, you are contributing to your community economy and overall U.S. economic growth.
At last, and as promised, here are the three main objections you’ll most likely have when considering switching to solar power and something to think about on each one:
If you’re considering solar power, the cost is most likely at the forefront of your mind.
As we mentioned above, we’d rather you view solar as an investment rather than a cost. However, yes installing solar does cost money. Here are a few things to take into consideration:
With the price of solar continuing to decrease, you might be wondering if it’s better to wait. Our answer to that is “no” because the more you wait to install solar, the longer you put off the savings and benefits solar has to offer.
Although solar panels give a very high-tech appeal, they are in fact quite simple, and in no way are they fragile and easily broken. Engines that have many moving parts require maintenance and repairs. But solar panels have no moving parts, making the overall system able to operate for years with very little attention or maintenance. To put their reliability in perspective, if NASA has been using solar panels to power space stations and satellites for decades, you shouldn’t worry too much about their reliability when installed on your roof.
Solar panels have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years, however, this doesn’t mean they will stop producing energy after that. It means most solar panel companies and installers guarantee their works and equipment for between 20 and 25 years and they do that because they know the equipment is extremely reliable. But should something go wrong during the first 20-25 years, in most cases, you will be covered. When going ahead with solar, it is important to review all warranty information to fully understand the warranties of the equipment that is being installed.
We’re not saying that solar panels are indestructible, but we can say that what it takes to break a solar panel is far beyond what your roof is usually going to experience. Even in Florida, with unpredictable and harsh weather patterns, installing solar isn’t a problem and panels breaking isn’t a problem. Things that would cause damage to your solar panels such as a hurricane, would be enough to make you worry about your entire home. Most solar installers and solar panel manufacturers have access to some of the most industrially hardened materials available anywhere. Your solar professional or consultant can guide you through the various types of panels and how strong they are; and which is best for your home.
Probably one of the most important questions when considering solar is, “is solar right for me?”. For some businesses, there may be other and more appropriate solutions to reducing your energy costs and using renewable energy. But for many, solar is a great option.
Energy Professionals offers free solar consultations to help answer any questions or concerns you may have and to help you decide if solar is right for your home or business. We use a patented platform that uses artificial intelligence to produce 3D designs of your potential solar installation, as well as all the details, from the best panels and equipment to use to the best price points and financing options.
Energy Professionals is committed to finding its customers the best possible rates on electricity and natural gas. Tell us your location and service type and our energy manager will connect you to the most competitive offers.
Switching to an alternate supplier is easy. There is no chance of service disruption, and you'll continue with your current utility for energy delivery and emergency service. Take a few minutes to discover your best offers, and enjoy the benefits of retail energy in your home or business.
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