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Hear From Our Customers
"I have been extremely happy with the work and support Heat Shed has provided. I get many questions from customers who visit the farm in the fall, and I always enthusiastically recommend the Heat Shed highly. Instead of worrying about how to pay for the increases in the cost of electricity, I can breathe easier."
B.B., Hope, NJ
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Frequent questions about solar system installations for home and business |
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| The ideal roof for solar is one that faces south and is free of shade from 9 AM to 3 PM. If your roof is oriented to the east or west, it may also be a suitable candidate for solar depending on the roof angle, shade, and other factors. We provide an initial assessment by viewing your home via satellite imagery and can set up a site visit with you to discuss solar if your home looks like a good candidate. |
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| The size of a solar system depends on how much electricity you use. Two homes that are exactly the same size may use different amounts of electricity and will require different size systems. We analyze your last 12 months of electrical usage and design a system to produce that amount of electricity. However, there are times when a roof is not large enough and a smaller system is designed. |
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When your power from the utility goes out, your solar system will automatically shut down. This is required by utilities for the safety of their workers so that power is not being "backfed" into the grid when they are working on restoring power.
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Your solar system is a 30+ year investment, so it is important to choose a company that provides a quality design and installation, and who will also be around to service your system in the years to come. Here are a few questions that homeowners should consider asking potential companies:
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How many years have they been in business?
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Do they have installations in your area you can drive by and see how they look? Do they have references you can talk to?
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Do they use their own employees for installations or do they subcontract the work?
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Do they guarantee the kilowatt hour production of your system?
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Do they have NABCEP certified designers/installers? Do they have licensed electricians on staff?
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What do the panels look like? Do they offer all black panels (black panels and black frame) that are considered by many homeowners to be more attractive than blue panels or black panels with "silver" frames? Do they offer a panel without the “grid” lines showing on top of the panels? (There are many types of panels available from different manufacturers, so be sure to find out the exact model being offered.)
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What does the racking system that mounts the panels to your roof look like? Is it silver (aluminum) or black (anodized aluminum)? If you have black panels, black racking provides a more streamlined look.
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How do they seal the penetrations into your roof (flashing vs. caulking)? Caulking does not hold up as well as flashing over the 30+ year life of the system.
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What kind of warranties do they offer?
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What type of financing do they offer?
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Does the system include a web-based data monitoring system? Our customers enjoy being able to see how much their system is producing on their blackberry or computer, but these systems are also important to quickly identify if any of your panels are not functioning properly.
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Heat Shed offers “same as cash” free financing for a year, which gives plenty of time for homeowners to secure longer term financing. Depending on the timing of the installation during the tax year, you may receive your tax credit before this one year financing program is over. After this period, solar energy systems are often financed as part of a home equity loan as the interest on the loan is tax deductible. |
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Yes. While there are other parts of the country that have more hours of sunlight, the high power costs as well as strong state incentive programs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania make it a better investment here than in some other regions.
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Solar power provides a sustainable source of clean energy. By installing a solar system, you will reduce the carbon emissions caused by burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. In a year, a typical system will reduce CO2 emissions by over 18,000 pounds per year, which is equivalent to reducing driving by over 23,000 miles per year.
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