Solar FAQs and Solar Education

Net energy metering is a billing arrangement for utility customers who have solar power systems on their homes. Through net metering, solar power users can build up credits by generating energy for the public power grid and use those credits to pay their utility bills. The goal is to earn enough solar power credits to pay 100% of your monthly utility bill.

Most solar panels are between 14% and 20% efficient. For maximum savings on your home energy costs, it’s best to go with solar panels that have 20% efficiency and above.

Each home is different based on your current appliances and consumption and some other factors. The best way to determine this is to order a free online assessment and we can analyze your current consumption and your energy provider’s allowable solar array and then give you a detailed quote based on that.

The answer is no, in fact, solar panels can actually extend the life of your roof. This is because solar panels add an extra layer of protection to your roof from the elements such as rain, wind, hail, and sun.

Each solar panel manufacturer has specific and generic guidelines for cleaning instructions. In most cases the rain produced on the modules will sufficiently keep them clean and producing well, but for specific cleaning you should reach out to a solar professional, who is NABCEP certified like US Energy Solutions for yearly or semiannual inspection and cleaning.

Before choosing how many batteries you need or finalizing your list of critical loads, you will need to define the peak power requirements of your critical loads. This is the maximum amount of electricity you will use at one time. You can do this by adding up two sets of values: all the maximum running wattages for your critical loads, and all their starting wattages. Our solar specialists will help you to understand exactly what your customized system will need to help cover the power required for your devices or appliances.