Frequently Asked Questions

The actual installation of the solar panels usually only takes 2-3 days depending on the size and scope of the project. However, the process from signing the contract to installing the solar panels is a bit more time-intensive.

In California each city and utility provider is different, so timelines can differ from customer to customer. But we usually tell customers that the process from signature to construction takes 4-6 weeks. We are almost always able to meet those ambitious deadlines.

Barnes Solar handles all of the paperwork and permitting approval for the solar panel installation, so that you don’t need to worry about any of the linguistics. With that being said there are some aspects that are out of our control. For example, city permitting processes, utility approval processes, and HOA involvement can all affect how quickly we are able to start construction. The good news is that most cities and homeowners associations in California are very familiar with solar by now and usually turn around paperwork very quickly.

Our solar panel installation company prides ourselves on our hands-on approach throughout the process. We make sure to set clear expectations and update customers frequently, so that there aren’t any surprises.

In California, the vast majority of solar systems are installed on roofs because of the increased sun exposure and easy access to the main electrical panel. In some cases, installing solar on your roof may not be possible. If this problem presents itself with your solar panel installation then there are a number of other different options.

For example, some customers with enough space choose to install ground-mounted solar system. In those instances, we drill holes into the ground and build a structure to support the solar panels. There may be additional cost for ground-mounted solar systems as most customers prefer to have the electrical conduit run underground. In order to have the electrical conduit unit run underground this requires digging trenches, but for customers that want to avoid roof penetrations and are looking for extra space for the solar panels, a ground-mount can be effective.

Barnes Solar also has experience building carports for both homeowners and businesses. These are usually more expensive because they require building a structure that is tall enough to shelter a vehicle and sturdy enough to support the solar panels. For this reason they are usually more common in commercial projects.

The first step in building any accurate solar quote is to analyze the customer’s electricity usage. The more data that we can gather then the more accurate your quote will be. This is why we like to examine the last 12 months of usage.

Most utilities provide at least one year of usage history on each electricity bill, so we usually don’t require the customer to send more than one bill. Once we have analyzed a customer’s usage history then we like to have a conversation with each customer about their future usage habits. Some customers wish they could run their air conditioning more frequently, others want to add a pool, and some are planning to add electric vehicles.

If a customer anticipates increasing their usage in the future, we like to oversize the solar system by 10-15% to account for future electricity usage. However, customers who decide to intentionally oversize their system will want to be sure to use that extra electricity as utilities will pay back pennies on the dollar to customers with leftover energy credit at the end of the year.

Solar panels themselves do not make any noise. Generally speaking, a solar system is going to be nearly silent. The inverters will make a soft humming sound during the day as they convert the DC current into AC current. However, that noise is indiscernible to the naked ear and because the system isn’t producing electricity at night, the inverter doesn’t make any noise during the evening. As with any construction project, during the installation, our crew will make noise. But we take great care in making sure that we don’t disturb or inconvenience the customer while we are on site.

Yes! In fact, that is the whole reason why going solar makes sense. The payback period will always depend on:

1) How the customer pays for their solar system
2) Which utility covers their territory
3) How much of their current monthly electricity bill is being offset

On average, homeowners in Southern California see a payback period of between 6-8 years. Considering that a solar system is expected to last for 30 years, this is an excellent return on investment that would be difficult to replicate with any other kind of investment. Even homeowners who decide to finance the system can see payback periods of less than 10 years and the best part is that, assuming you purchased the system with a loan, once you have paid off the loan in full, all of the electricity you produce thereafter is completely free. As an added bonus, studies show that solar systems in California can increase the value of a home from anywhere from 3-5%. So not only will it help save you money, but it will also help you make a little money as well.

The amount of power produced by a solar system depends on a number of factors. The most important factor is obviously the size of the system. A 10 KW system will produce a lot more power than a 5 KW system if only because it is twice as large. However, other factors will all affect the output of your solar system such as:

• Roof directionality
• Sun accessibility
• Panel quality
• Weather

In Southern California, the simple rule of thumb is to apply a production factor of 1.3 to the size of your system. For example, a 7KW system won’t just produce 7,000 kWh of electricity, it will produce more like 9,100 kWh (7,000 x 1.3). In many cases, the production factor can be as high as 1.5 or 1.6. But we always like to be conservative in our estimates so that customers are pleasantly surprised instead of the other way around.

When a potential customer first asks for a quote, we usually try to gather some standard information. This includes but isn’t limited to:

• Address
• Electricity bill
• Interest in financing
• Electrical infrastructure
• Special requests (no panels on the front of the house, ground-mount, etc.)

Once we have those pieces of information, we can generally present an accurate proposal and preliminary layout of the equipment. Once a customer is comfortable with the size and layout of the system, it is really up to them how detailed they want to be. Some customers have particular requests about how they want the conduit run to look. Other customers may want to add a panel or two to hedge against future usage increases.

Our sales strategy is to be as transparent as possible throughout the process, so that customers can review the numbers on their own and make a decision based off their analysis. Our job is to educate the customer on the entirety of the project and let the customer make the decision that makes the most sense for their particular situation.

A standard, residential solar system is considered a grid-tied solar system. The system includes a utility interactive inverter, meaning that a grid connection is required for operation. Therefore, if there is a power outage, the solar system will shut down in an attempt to protect itself and anyone who may come in contact with it. This functionality is referred to as “anti-islanding”. So no, your solar system will not work in the event of a power outage. If the grid goes down, your solar system will go down with it.

However, with that in mind, a battery storage system can help overcome this feature and battery storage continues to grow more popular as technology improves and prices drop. Barnes Solar has installed a number of solar systems that are equipped with storage capabilities. Feel free to contact us with further questions.

While direct sunlight is best, solar panels will still operate on cloudy days or when exposed to any diffuse light. Contrary to intuition, solar panels also work better at lower temperatures. When temperature increases, output voltage of the solar panel will decrease. Therefore, the ideal operating characteristics for solar is a cool, cloud-free day. Take heart! Aside from rain or severe weather, your solar system should work as expected, especially here in Southern California.

Most of the statewide incentives in California have dried up already. Even LADWP’s solar rebate, which was the last of its kind among the major utilities, closed at the end of 2018. With that said, the biggest and most important incentive for solar is still around – and that is the 30% federal tax credit.

This is a dollar for dollar tax credit, which means that if you owed the IRS $6,000 in April, but purchased a $20,000 solar system in the prior year, you have effectively eliminated your entire tax liability. The tax credit has done a terrific job of not only driving interest to the industry, but also helping homeowners save money from Day 1.

However, the tax credit is scheduled to step down from 30% to 26% at the end of 2019 and truth be told, no one knows what will become of the credit at its scheduled end. Homeowners would be wise to look into whether solar makes sense for them before the largest financial incentive goes away at the end of the year.