What happens after going Solar?
Congrats on signing a contract! Now what happens?
First thing’s first: you’ve decided to install solar? Congrats! You’re well on your way to decades of savings and powering your home with clean, renewable energy.
Now what happens?
Before your solar panels can be installed on your roof, we’ll work with you to gather the appropriate permits from your town, and begin the process of applying to your utility’s net metering program and any other available incentive programs.
After all of the appropriate paperwork is in place, we can schedule a date for your installation. Typically, a solar installation will take one or two days, depending upon the size and complexity of your system. Generally, you’ll have two crews on site – one to focus on the electrical work while another gets started on the roof. They’ll go ever the solar design with you before putting any racking and mounting on your roof to ensure everyone is on the same page. Once the racking is in place, they’ll wire and install the solar panels, and connect them all to your main electrical panel.
After your solar panels are installed, there’s still a little work left to do. In most towns, a solar installation needs to pass inspection from the local building, electrical or even fire department. And your utility needs to approve your system for final interconnection to the grid, giving you the “permission to operate” your system.
Once you receive your permission to operate and your system is turned on, sit back, relax and enjoy the savings.
Beyond that, here are some things to think about over the coming months and years:
During the first few months:
Check in on your solar production in your monitoring app to make sure the solar panels are performing up to your expectations. We’ll actively monitor your system as well.
Keep an eye on your electricity bill. Are you using more or less energy at home than before you installed solar? Is your bill going up or down? Are you seeing the monthly savings you expected? Questions or concerns, reach out to us.
During the following year:
Don’t forget to submit the appropriate tax forms to claim the Investment Tax Credit during next year’s tax season. We’ll send you a reminder email and some instructions for what you need to do to get your credits.
In the years to come:
For many people, solar is one step on the way to an electrified home. If you’re interested in electric vehicles, EV chargers, heat pumps and more, we can help you find the right products and contractors for all of your needs.