Solar FAQs

The sun rises every day. That’s why solar power is a completely renewable, reliable and clean energy source. It reduces our reliance on dirty sources of power such as oil, coal and natural gas, which produce harmful emissions affecting our health and environment.

Residential solar energy systems represent an investment in the future of the planet, conserving non-renewable energy sources and protecting the environment.

In addition, solar panels and home batteries are becoming more affordable, accessible, resilient and efficient. They provide peace of mind and energy security for households when the power goes out or the next storm strikes.

A lot of things affect how well-suited your home is for solar, including where your home is, the angle of your roof, how much shade it gets throughout the day, and how old your home is.

Our solar experts can help you determine if your home is a good fit for solar. They’ll run an energy audit of your home and they’ll get a sense for your energy needs.

Every household is different. When determining the number of solar panels your home needs, consider the following questions:

How much power do I need? Review your electric bills to see how many kilowatt hours (kWhs) you use annually. We’ll review your energy bill with you during our solar demo to help determine how much power your panels will need to produce.

What’s your climate like? The number of panels you need depends on how much sun reaches the ground where you are.

How much direct sun hits your roof? Shading, which direction your roof faces, and any aesthetic preferences you have can impact how big your system needs to be.

Solar incentives are most likely available in your state. The most common solar incentives include state tax credits, net metering and rebates from your local utility. No matter what state you live in, you’ll also be eligible for the federal solar tax credit when you purchase your own solar system.

Just like any upgrade, installing a home solar system can increase the value of your home and make it more appealing to potential buyers. A 2019 study showed that, on average, homes with solar panels sell for 4.1% more than homes without solar panels.

(Source: https://www.zillow.com/research/solar-panels-house-sell-more-23798/)

A home solar system is made up of components that all work together to convert the power of sunlight into usable energy for your lights, appliances and devices.

1. Solar Panels
Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells that capture the sun’s energy and converts it into electricity.

2. Charge Regulator
This component protects batteries from being overloaded by regulating the electricity flow. It’s typically installed on an exterior wall of your house, or in the garage.

3. Battery Storage
When the sun isn’t out, the batteries are storing electricity. If your panels generate more solar energy than consumed, the excess power will flow to the utility grid.

4. No Middleman Solar meter
Your No Middleman Solar meter monitors your system production 24/7 to detect problems or irregularities.

5. Utility meter
When you need more energy than your solar system can produce, your home will automatically pull the energy from your utility. Your utility meter measures how much energy comes from and goes to the grid.

You have a choice when it comes to solar providers. Since you’ll be working with your provider for the life of your system, you’ll want to choose an established one you can count on for the long haul. Most solar companies offer the bare minimum for what you need to put up a home solar system, while extra benefits like warranties, maintenance, and repairs can come at an extra cost. At Erus Energy, we take all the guesswork out of going solar so that you don’t have to worry about the fine print or hidden fees.

Here are some key things to look for in a home solar company:

A high volume of positive ratings and a great track record of service before, during and after installation.
Solar companies that take care of the paperwork, inspections, and working with the city.
Flexible payment options including solar leases and PPAs.
Lifetime maintenance on your system should be included, not an add-on.
An honest provider won’t sell you solar if it can’t save you money—insist on a performance guarantee.
Choose a provider with the most residential experience.
We’ll just make this easy for you and tell you that yes, our products include these services, and then some. We’re here to make going solar worry-free. That means helping you with designing your home solar system and controlling your electricity costs, and taking care of the technical details like paperwork, approvals, and installation.

Short answer is YES!

Our dedicated Project Managers will work with you through the entire financing process. Many homeowners that go solar with Erus Energy get their entire solar system installed without paying any upfront costs.