How expensive is solar?

One of the biggest questions that everybody has about solar is "How do I pay for it?" The old misconception was that it actually took cash to go solar. People thought, well, solar is expensive, because I have to spend this upfront cash. That could not be further from the truth.

Today, in fact, solar is the least expensive option to get energy in most of the United States. And with lots of finance programs, it is typically easy for most homeowners to get zero-down financing. There are two primary ways to finance your solar system today.

A zero down loan means that you can choose a loan term, whether it's five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, or 25 years. We offer all of those, and we offer them at the most competitive rates possible. Now, when you go solar with a zero down loan, what that means is, you finance the system through your loan provider, and instead of paying a monthly bill to your utility, you simply pay a less expensive monthly payment to your loan provider. So you get to keep the difference.

If, for some reason, a person can't get a loan, they will often choose a lease. This may be because they don't have a tax liability and can't keep the tax credit. A lease is exactly like it sounds - every single month, you'll pay a lease payment. And you'll pay that usually over 20 years. It's that simple. Your lease payment is going to be less than what you used to pay your utility bill, which means you're saving money every single month.

We will help you figure out what is best for you. When you get a proposal from us we are going to sit down with you. We are going to show you all the different options and help you decide what's best for you.

How many panels do I need?

To determine your home’s average energy requirements, we look at your past utility bills. We calculate how many solar panels you need by multiplying your household’s hourly energy requirement by the peak sunlight hours for your area and dividing that by a panel’s wattage. Use a low-wattage (150 W) and high-wattage (370 W) example to establish a range (ex: 17-42 panels to generate 11,000 kWh/year). Note that the size of your roof and how much sunlight your roof gets are factors as well.

How durable are the panels/modules?

Hurricanes: In Florida, most municipalities require installations to withstand winds up to 160MPH due to threats of hurricanes. This is pushing Category 5 type winds, and in that event, your panels will be covered by your homeowners insurance along with your roof.

Hail: The tempered glass on solar panels are rated to withstand 1, 900 PSI. For code requirements and warranties, this means that modules are warrantied to withstand up to 2 inches of hail up to a speed of 60 MPH.In either event, your roof would be damaged along with your panels and your homeowner's insurance would most likely repair/replace both. If not a natural event and something happens under normal conditions, we have you covered with our 30 Year Extended Advantage Warranty.

Do my solar panels produce energy when the sun is not shining?

The amount of power your solar energy system can generate is dependent on sunlight. As a result, your solar panels will produce slightly less energy when the weather is cloudy, and no energy at night. However, because of high electricity costs and financial incentives, solar is a smart decision.

How much will the maintenance of my solar panels cost?

No cost 30 Year Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty on all systems.

Including:

• 100% Parts & Labor

• Zero Deductibles

• Own the Policy

• Transferrable Ownership

• Extended Roof Workmanship

• Peace of Mind

Do I need to install a Battery?

There are two primary ways that homeowners benefit from owning a battery:

First, you can use the battery for backup power. If the grid goes down, you're still covered. If disaster strikes, if there's a hurricane in your area, or a fire, or any of the things that we're all dealing with now, on a much more common basis, having a battery will allow you to continue to have electricity in your home, even if your utility company can’t provide it.

The second reason is that you can often actually save money by getting a battery if you live in a region with specific rate structures where you would benefit from using stored power from the battery during more expensive times of the day. In many regions, net metering policy allows you to save money without the need for the battery, unless you want the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your home can provide electricity even when your utility company can’t.

Do I need to replace or repair my roof before installing solar panels?

Solar energy systems last 30 to 40 years and it can be costly to remove and reinstall them if you need to replace your roof. If the need to replace your roof is questionable, your ZDS consultant can inspect your roof at no charge. And, if you do need a new roof, the 26% tax credit also applies to all costs associated in regards to your roof when installing solar. We can replace your roof and install solar in our zero down program.

What happens if I sell my house and I still owe on my loan?

With ZDS you own your solar energy system, and your solar home will sell at a premium: studies have shown that solar increases property values. (see Department of Energy, Fanny Mae & FHA, average home increased value 15% after solar installation, day one!) If you still have a principal balance on your loan after you sell your home- you take the additional profits from the sale to pay it off with no penalty. Now you get to keep and enjoy the profits.

What kind of financing do you offer?

We work closely with multiple financial institutions to ensure that we get you the best rate and pricing. Rates start as low as 0.99% up to 7.99% with credit score approval from 620+. We also have a credit repair program that we pay for, if needed.

Why do home upgrades before going solar?

We follow the guidelines set by the Department of Energy to greatly reduce your energy usage with new technology products, and significantly increase your home's energy efficiency, saving you thousands, increasing your return on investment and decreasing your cost.

What is the Federal Investment Tax Credit or the Solar Tax Credit?

The Solar Tax Credit is a federal tax credit for solar systems you can claim on your income taxes and reduces your federal tax liability. The tax credit is calculated based on a percentage (30% until 2032) of the total cost of your solar energy system. Currently, the final day to qualify for the 30% Solar Energy Tax Credit is December 31, 2032.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended the Federal Investment Tax credit for residential solar for 12 years until 2034. The solar tax credit will be 30% until the end of 2032 when it drops down to 26% in 2033 and then to 22% in 2034.

Under Florida’s Solar and CHP Sales Tax Exemption, Floridians are exempt from paying the 6% sales tax on solar panels.

Florida’s Property Tax Abatement for Renewable Energy Property incentive is currently set to run through 2037. With this incentive, homeowners’ are 100% exempt from paying property taxes to improve their homes with solar panels.