FAQs

• Just tell me the bottom line – how much will solar cost me? I see a lot about “no money down” and “no out-of-pocket to install” – what REALLY happens?
  • To convert to solar in Virginia, you purchase your solar system. Although some people will buy it outright, 95%+ elect to swap their electric bill for their solar bill – which is usually 10% – 30% cheaper.
  • 10 years ago, to convert to solar you had to pay in full upfront. Today, there are dozens of companies that just offer solar financing, and there are thousands of banks and credit unions who offer solar loans – at incredibly low rates! Essentially, you take the money you have budgeted each month to pay to your electric utility, and you swap it for a different payment that is a significantly lower cost. In doing so, you switch your power bill from a lease (with the utility) to a purchase (with your solar financier) and create an asset on your house which increases the equity in your home.
  • The typical financing structure will perform a soft credit check on the homeowner to determine how much financing you qualify for. You then sign a loan document with the terms and the rate. This loan is not funded until AFTER your panels are installed. Your solar payment will usually start 1 – 2 months after installation. Therefore, There is no upfront payment. There is no deposit. There are no hidden fees. You pay nothing out of pocket to move your solar conversion project from initiation until AFTER the panels are installed.
  • Here are the financials of an actual customer in Richmond, VA:
    • Average monthly electric bill with Dominion = $126 for 961 kWhs
    • Solar system will produce 102% of the customer’s annual electric needs
    • New Dominion bill estimated at $8 (for interconnection fee only)
    • New monthly solar payment (25 years at 1.99%) = $158
    • Customer’s solar system estimated to receive monthly rebate of $74
    • Resulting new monthly cost for solar = $8 + $158 – $74 = $91.
    • Monthly savings of $35 PLUS the customer keeps a Federal Tax Credit of $9,494
    • The solar loan is completely transferable should you sell your home before the end of the loan term.
    • There is no penalty should you decide to pay off early.
• I received a Solar Energy Survey at my house or someone knocked on my door talking about solar energy. What does this mean?
  • RVA Home Solar sends our Survey Technicians to select neighborhoods to verify the information we receive from satellite imaging on houses that may receive enough sunlight hours to make a rooftop solar system work for them. Your house was in one of these neighborhoods. If you were not home, we may have done a visual survey of your house and provided you with a preliminary assessment of your house’s solar worthiness. If you were home, our technician probably attempted to tell you a little about solar energy and schedule an appointment with you for a more thorough explanation. Your next step is to contact RVA Home Solar and we will share the pros and cons of solar so you can decide for yourself if solar is right for you.
• Solar 101
  • What does rooftop Solar Power Generation really mean?
    • Photo-voltaic (PV) panels are glass and metal rectangular boxes approximately 5 1/2 feet long and 3 1/4 feet wide and about 2 inches thick that house a series of photo-voltaic cells. These cells are capable of converting the different wavelengths of light received from the Sun’s rays into Direct Current (DC) electricity. An Inverter is used to change the DC electricity into Alternating Current (AC) electricity which is the type of electricity our homes and their appliances are powered by. Rooftop means the panels are typically installed on the roof of your house, however other locations may work such as ground mounted assemblies or floating arrays. These systems create the electricity a house needs for power instead of receiving that electricity through the power lines of your local utility.
  • How efficient are today’s PV panels?
    • In our opinion, people place too much emphasis on what percentage of sunlight received is converted into useful energy (efficiency). While today’s panels have an efficiency of between 15% and 22%, the important measure is how much power a panel can produce — its output. The typical measuring unit for PV panel output is watts. And a typical PV panel will create between 280 and 400 watts per hour of sunlight received. If that panels receives 8 hours of sunlight, it will produce between 2,240 and 3,200 watts. This amount is typically divided by 1000 and expressed as Kilowatt Hours (KwH). In this case it would be between 2.2 and 3.2 KwH. The average home (2000 square feet) requires approximately 32 Kilowatt Hours (KwH) to operate for one day. Therefore, when we are creating a solar system for your home, we look at the typical wattage produced by each panel and place the necessary number of panels equal to the daily need of your home.
  • Should I wait a couple of years until the panels are more efficient?
    • The ability of PV panels to convert the various wavelengths of sunlight into energy is expressed as efficiency. The panels have come a long way from the 1970’s when the efficiency was 1% – 2%. Today, panels average between 15% and 22% efficiency. An increase in efficiency usually means you can create the same amount of electricity using fewer panels (or make those panels smaller). Although there is a tremendous amount of research worldwide in creating more efficient PV cells, the reality is that efficiency percentage will continue to creep forward in very small increments. Even if panels were suddenly 20% more efficient (24% vs. today’s 20%), the difference in your solar array to power your house would only result in one or two fewer panels on your house. So a very small amount of money on the whole. In the meantime, if you delay your switch to solar, you will cost yourself several thousand dollars every year through increased utility bills, lost savings due to solar energy, and you may even miss out on lucrative federal, state, or local tax incentives.
  • Why is now the right time to “go solar”?
    • Simply put, at the present, we have a convergence of all the factors that make rooftop solar power generation easy, effective and economical.
      • The cost of PV panels has dropped so much that a small rooftop array is affordable by most homeowners.
      • The efficiency of the panels require far fewer panels than in the past, thus dropping the entrance cost to solar.
      • Only a small number of panels are now required to generate enough energy to provide 100% of your home’s needs.
      • Local, state, and the federal government offer tax incentives and have enacted legislation that are decidedly pro-solar.
      • The attention to climate change and the impact of electric utilities burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) has on the environment makes solar the ecologically correct manner to produce your future energy.
      • Mandates from many states to require their electric utilities to switch to renewable sources of energy generation will require enormous expense to enact – and that cost will be reflected in the monthly bills of their non-solar customer. The Virginia State Corporation Commission estimates your electric bill will more than double in the near future.
    • The bottom line: if you don’t switch to solar energy generation now, you will wind up paying far, far more for the same amount of power you use today.
  • By switching to solar, do I totally eliminate my relationship with my local power company?
    • No you don’t – and you wouldn’t want to! One of the great advances in solar power generation is your ability to sell the excess energy you produce back to the power company AND the power company acting as your backup power source. To accomplish this, the power company installs a special power meter that allows two way power transmission. What you achieve is now the best of both worlds. When the sun is out, you are producing the electricity you need, and perhaps selling some of it to the power company. When your panels are not producing (darkness, storms, etc.) you are still hooked up to the regular power grid and are receiving electricity as you had prior to switching to solar. See below to learn more about Net Metering.
  • Why should I use RVA Home Solar?
    • The solar process can be confusing and gathering the necessary information to make an informed decision can be frustrating. We are independent solar consultants. WE WORK FOR YOU. That’s why our primary mission is to educate you on the pros and cons of this decision. We will not push you into something that is not in YOUR best interest. We are a locally owned and operated business that is affiliated with Powur Solar. So you get the best of both worlds – neighbors who know the area and are looking out for you and your family and backed by a national company with the power to bring you the best equipment at great prices! 

• Qualifying for solar
  • My neighbor just had solar installed. Does that mean my house will automatically qualify?
    • Short answer – no. Longer answer is a bit more complicated. You would think that neighboring houses would be a shoo in. However, only about 30% of all houses in our area qualify. RVA Home Solar meticulously assesses each house to determine if it can qualify for the solar program. Your roof and electrical infrastructure are the primary reasons a house would not qualify. There needs to be sufficient roof surface, at the correct angle, and in the correct orientation to the sun – all while having the proper underlying structure – to support the effective placement of solar panels. And shading from nearby trees is another factor. Also, your electrical panel needs to be of a minimum amperage, with qualifying types of breakers, and available space in the panel. Thirdly, we look closely at your current electric usage as that is the best indicator of future usage and savings. Finally, for this stage of the process, we also qualify the homeowner through a credit check.
    • Additionally, Dominion Energy allows only a few houses to utilize Net Metering on their transformers. These transformers are usually at the neighborhood level so if a couple of your neighbors have already installed solar, there may be no room on the transformer left for your house. This is referred to as Grid Lock. Therefore, if you may be interested in solar, it is in your best interest to start the process as soon as possible.
  • How do I know if I qualify? Other websites just asked me three questions.
    • You won’t find the “magic” three questions on our website because 1) everyone’s situation, structure, and electrical usage is different, and 2) the process for qualification is much more involved then three simple questions can determine. This is why our Survey Technicians do a door-to-door, boots on the ground, preliminary assessment of the houses in your neighborhood. We then follow up with a comprehensive analysis of your energy usage, create a mock-up of what and where your solar panels would be installed, fully educate you about the solar pros and cons and the process to get you there, and ONLY THEN do we schedule an Engineering Review of your house.
  • What does the Engineering Review provide that you didn’t learn before?
    • The Engineering Review forms the basis for the permitting process with your local government and Dominion Energy. Our Surveyors look at all the things our Technicians did, only in a whole lot more detail: with more measurements, pictures, and video. We want to ensure that every “i” is dotted and “T” is crossed so as to not delay the permitting process. Even with all this attention, your house may not qualify after the Engineering Review. Or it may not qualify at the local government level. Or it may not qualify once it gets to Dominion Energy for a decision. Only about 30% of all houses in our area qualify.
  • The Engineering Review placed a “Hold” on my house so we can’t move forward. What do I do?
    • Engineering Holds happen for a variety of reasons and your Account Executive should have covered them in great detail. Essentially, a Hold means something was identified that we know would not pass the permitting process or the approval process with Dominion Energy; or is enough of a concern with us that it should be addressed before we can move to install. Almost always these Holds can be remedied and often RVA Home Solar can fold the corrections and their costs into the overall cost of your solar system so the 22% Federal tax credit will apply to everything! Something that comes up frequently is the age of your roof. Although condition is far more important than age, we must consider age as your solar panels will be on your roof for 25+ years. For older and poor condition roofs, RVA Home Solar can coordinate a reroof project prior to the solar panels being installed.
  • Why do you need to run a credit check on me?
    • Credit checks are required if you will be using our loan partner to finance the purchase of your solar system. If you elect to purchase the system outright, or wish to use another loan source such as a Home Equity Line of Credit, then a credit check is not required. However, as most homeowners do not know at the beginning of the process how much their system will cost or how they will chose to pay for it, we usually run a “soft” credit check after the presentation step and before the Engineering Review is conducted.
  • I live in a neighborhood with an HOA. Will this be a problem?
    • Although Virginia has passed a law (HB414/SB504) that protects homeowners who wish to install solar from “burdensome homeowners association (HOA) restrictions”, we like to play nice with your local resident board. Essentially, the HOA cannot stop you from installing solar but you will still have to go through the modification process outlined in your Covenants and Restrictions. RVA Home Solar can provide you with assistance and legal paperwork to help you with this process.
  • How long does the whole process take?
    • The typical timeframe is 2 to 3 months from interest to installation to energy generation. The initial usage analysis and rooftop plan takes about 1 to 3 weeks. Both your local government permitting and Dominion Energy permission requires a couple of weeks one right after the other. Then installation will usually be scheduled the week after all approvals are received. Installation takes just one day. Finally, Dominion Energy will be called to change out your power meter which can take a few days to a few weeks. After you have your PTO (permission to operate), your system will start to generate power in about 24 hours. Throughout all of this, you will maintain a single source of contact with your Account Executive as we move your project through the bureaucracy.
• Cost of solar
  • How much will a solar system cost me? Just give me a price so I can decide on my own.
    • We can’t tell you — and we won’t — without first gathering information on your current electric usage with Dominion Energy, determining how the solar panels will sit on your roof, and calculating how many sun hours the system will receive, and the amount of electricity it will produce. You can check the internet and maybe get some averages or ballpark figures but that will not be tailored for your exact situation. If you just want a price, we can do a preliminary site survey, gather your current electric bill, and have an answer back to you – an answer specifically for your situation – in about 24 hours.
  • This seems too good to be true. What are the gotcha’s?
    • Since only about 3 in 10 homes qualify for the solar program, you do not put any money down, there is no deposit, no hidden fees or charges. You do not start to pay until the system is on your roof and producing energy! There are no gotcha’s.
    • RVA Home Solar assumes the risk, and the costs, of shepherding your house through the government approval process. That is why we are so thorough in our evaluation process. And with our comprehensive analysis of your current energy usage, and the mock-up we create of your roof and the panel placement, you will know very early in the process how much your solar system will cost – AND SAVE YOU.
  • Should I purchase the system outright or should I use your finance company?
    • That is something we can’t answer for you as it depends on a lot of factors specific to your situation. But your Account Executive WILL help you with the various aspects of the decision and crunching the numbers. Essentially, if you purchase outright, your system will be a little cheaper as you will not have the finance charge (which is very, very competitive!). If you elect to finance, most people choose the 20 or 25 year term and find their monthly payments are close to if not lower than their current average monthly electric bill. So you are locking in your current cost for power and it will not increase 3%-4% every year like Dominion Energy.
  • What’s this about having TWO electric bills? Why am I still paying Dominion Energy?
    • The two electric bill description is a misnomer. Since most homeowners elect to finance their solar system, they will have a monthly statement from our loan partner, but you will still receive an electric bill from Dominion Energy. Your loan statement shows you now OWN your means of electricity generation. Just like your car payment or your home mortgage. Because your solar system is now part of the electric grid, Dominion Energy charges a monthly “interconnect” fee of approximately $8. This will be the only charge you see when your monthly generation equals or exceeds your monthly usage. Because Dominion Energy now acts as your energy backup, if you do not generate all your own energy, you will be using their power – and they will charge you for it.
  • The Engineering Review came back and its recommending I need a new roof. Is this just a ploy to get more money out of me?
    • If you have been informed of a “hold” on your progress toward a solar system, it is usually because of a safety issue (like your shingles have deteriorated to a point that they would be dangerous to walk on as we install the panels), or because something with your house is out of compliance with the permitting process (such as your breaker box needs to be upgraded in order to handle the solar system). Our main business is installing solar systems, we do not use the Engineering Review to increase the cost to you.
    • We offer any improvements that are needed to your home in order to support your solar system as a convenience to you. You can roll these items into the cost of the solar system and therefore all the costs would qualify for the Federal tax credit of 26% through the end of 2022. Therefore, you could finance both your solar system and receive a new roof for a low monthly amount.
    • If you do elect to use RVA Home Solar for a new roof, we use industry leading 50 year warranted architectural shingles. Your current roof is probably non-compliant because of cheaper 20 year shingles.
    • Alternatively, you can choose anyone to make your house complaint. Just give us a call when all the work is done and we will get you back on track to going solar. However, these third party improvements may not qualify for the Federal tax credit. Please consult with your tax professional for any questions concerning solar and tax credits.

• Installation
  • What happens during an installation?
    • Once we have finalized your system design and have all of the necessary approvals, it will be time to install the solar panels on your roof. Our local installation crews are experienced and efficient. A lot of times, they can complete installations in one day. All of our installers NABCEP certified – the industry standard to ensure all installation technicians are fully qualified to work on your house.
    • Here’s what a typical installation day looks like.
    • Step 1 – Crew arrival and preparation
      • First things first. We introduce ourselves and map out where we’ll be working and parking our vehicles.
    • Step 2 – Review system design and equipment location
      • Your foreman will review the plans with you and confirm the equipment and where it will go.
    • Step 3 – System installation
      • The crew will install the solar panels and wiring on your roof, while the foreman installs your inverter and other electrical equipment.
    • Step 4 – Crew clean up
      • We clean up as construction winds down to make sure we leave your property exactly as we found it.
    • Step 5 – Final walk-through
      • Once installation is complete, your foreman will explain how your new home solar system works and how to power it on.
  • What happens to my roof when you install solar panels?
    • Since your solar system will be roof-mounted, we do drill holes in the roof to anchor the racking equipment for the panels. All our roof penetrations are made watertight and are guaranteed by a workmanship warranty. We take the health of your roof very seriously, which is one reason why we do a full assessment of its condition at the very start of the process. We only install if we have confidence that your roof will not need to be replaced for the duration of your agreement.
    • Two little known benefits, once the solar panels are on your roof, 1) they protect the underlying sections from normal weathering and increase its longevity. And, 2) since the panels are installed on the sunniest parts of your roof, the panels insulate your attic and can drop the summer temperature by 10 to 20 degrees.

• Power Up and Maintenance
  • Am I able to generate energy from my solar panels as soon as they are installed?
    • No, but soon. The last item needed is for Dominion Energy to come to your house and exchange your existing power meter (that glass covered thing with all the numbers on the side of your house) with a Net Meter which allows for the two way transfer of electricity. This can take a few days to a few weeks. Dominion will then issue a PTO (Permission to Operate) and THEN you will authorized to turn on your system.
  • What happens once I get my PTO?
    • When you turn your solar system on, your home will officially be powered with energy from the sun, produced right on your roof. You will be able to monitor your solar energy production with a customized app. For customers with a monthly bill, you will receive your first bill approximately 30 days after you get the green light to turn on the system.
  • What do I need to know about my panels once they are up and running?
    • You will need to think about your new solar system just as much as you think about your current electricity delivery. Not much, right?
    • Probably the only time you think about your electricity now is when a light doesn’t come on, when you receive your bill, or when a bad storm is moving through your area that might cause a blackout.
    • One thing to know, since your solar system is now officially part of your community’s power grid, should your area experience a power outage through Dominion Energy, your system too will not operate. This is a safety feature to ensure your system is not introducing any power into the grid that is experiencing an issue.
  • How frequently should I clean my panels?
    • Seldom to never. Just a few rainy days a year is enough to clean your panels. And the wind is usually enough to clear away any leaves or other debris. If you live in a particularly dusty area, you may want to hose them off — just do it from the ground to be safe.
  • What should I do about snow?
    • Believe it or not, but several solar customer report that their systems still generate a little energy even with some snow on them. This is because the PV cells process a variety of the UV spectrum from the Sun into energy. But please do not attempt to clear snow from your panels. Their composition will quickly warm up from the Sun and the snow will easily slide off.
  • How should I ensure my panels are always in the best working order?
    • Once your system has been activated, if you are like everyone else, you will be checking your monitoring software frequently. It’s cool. Go nut’s and have fun with it! After the novelty wears off, try to get in the habit of checking your monitoring software about once a month. A good cue is when you receive your electric bill from Dominion Energy. Contact either RVA Home Solar or Powur Solar if anything looks out of the ordinary.
    • Keep the trees around your home trimmed back off the roof. The more sun your panels receive, the better.
  • Should I insure my solar system?
    • Like any upgrade to your home, you should contact your insurance company and inform them of any changes. Since the panels are attached to your roof, most insurance companies include panel coverage in your base policy – at no extra cost!