How much will this cost me? 

No upfront cost for qualified home owners! The monthly payments can be 10-60% cheaper than your SDGE bill.

What happens if I sell my home? 

You can transfer the system to the new home owner, you can sell it with the price of the home if you choose to own it, you can move it to your new home, or you can have the new owner purchase it on top of the price of the home.

What if I need a re-roof in the future?

No problem, the solar provider will remove the system and store it in their warehouse for the cost of the labor which is normally $500-$1000 depending on the system size

Who will service my account if the company goes out of business? 

The service is done by the company who you sign the agreement with. For example, if you choose to go with sunrun, sunrun will service the account. If sunrun goes out of business, it will go to another solar provider to service

What happens if the rates with the utility drop? 

The rates have gone up 80% in the last 5 years with SDG&E and continue to go up 8% or more per year, chances of that happening are extremely low but if they do, any additional power you need from SDG&E will be purchased at their price and you will still continue to purchase power at the price you entered into with solar.

What happens if there is an earthquake, flood, fire, hail, ball strikes; if my house is condemned?

You will be covered with the solar provider to have it replaced or fixed.

What if my electric needs increase or decrease?

If you need more solar power, You can add panels if you have the space. If you are using less power, you can sell the extra power to SDG&E for a credit of .6 cents to apply towards your gas bill or roll over credits.

What happens if I need to cancel  prior to install due to unforeseen circumstances?

If you sign a PPA you have the right cancel without penalties. If you sign with a loan provider, most are understanding unless it is with Sunpower where you would pay a fee depending on the agreement,

Do I need to add the solar system to my homeowners insurance? 

You don’t need to with a PPA but with owning, it might be a good idea. However, you don’t need to since you have the warranties with a provider like Sunrun or Sunpower.

What happens if my roof leaks after installation?

It will be fixed by the solar installer. Bright Planet or Sunpower.

What are the product warranties and who is responsible for servicing those? 

Depending on the agreement, you will get a 25 year warranty on all of the equipment and service with Sunrun and Sunpower. If you choose another panel and choose to pay cash or do your own financing, it will be a 20 year warranty on the equipment.

Will I still get a bill from SDGE and what will it look like?

There is a $10 connection to have SDGE as a backup. If you use more power than the solar produces, you will buy it at the Tier 1 rate that SDGE charges.

Will my roof be covered under warranty?

Yes. 

What happens if Sunrun or Sunpower  goes out of business?

You will be serviced by another solar provider, but this is highly unlikely to happen.

Do I need to clean the panels myself?

No. You can but it’s not necessary. You have a production guarantee with sun power and Sunrun so if it underproduces they will cover the cost of the power bought from SDG&E if it doesn’t produce what it says it will.

If there’s a power outage will the solar panels still provide electricity for my home?

No, only if you have a battery you can pull the power from.