Frequently Asked Questions About Solar

Solar panels are made up of smaller solar cells. In simple terms, when solar cells are hit by sunlight they convert that light into DC electricity. Since we use AC electricity, the solar power system needs an inverter to change the electricity into the kind your house will use.

Depending on how many solar cells are on a panel, the size range from [3 1/4 ft. x 5 1/2 ft.] or [3 1/4 ft. x 6 1/2 ft.]. Solar panels typically weigh 40-60 lbs, depending on the type.

(Please note that the exact size and weight may vary)

Solar racking is the hardware that supports your solar panels from your roof or ground. To maximize the efficiency, the solar panels should face South at an angle between 30 degrees – 45 degrees.

They do not. You will rely on power from the grid during the night, which should be covered by the NEM credits you receive from the surplus energy your solar panels generate during daytime.

Solar panels will not stop working on cloudy days, but they will not be nearly as effective. According to NASA, high clouds won’t be a problem, but low clouds and rain block the sunlight from reaching.

– Solar panels may only produce 10-20% of the normal energy output on cloudy and overcast days.

– Rain can also help clean your panels, increasing performance right after rainy days.

– Snow will block all light from hitting your solar panels. Bifacial panels can take advantage of reflected light, otherwise, they won’t work.

We have a number of options on where to install your solar panels. They can be installed on your roof, garage, carport, on the ground, or anywhere else. It is best to let us survey your property and prepare a customized design to maximize your solar power generation potential.

This really depends on how much electricity you use. The Pinnacle Group’s standard design is to offset 100% of your energy usage. But with Time Of Use electric rates, it can take anywhere from 100% to 120% to offset the energy costs. This is because the utility pays lower rates for Solar credits during the peak sun hours, and charges almost double during peak energy consumption periods from 4-9 PM.

So if your family is using the most energy from 4-9 PM, you will require a bigger system.

This is easy to find out from your electricity bills.

If you’d like a more detailed energy assessment, The Pinnacle Group can download all of your utility data, every hour of your energy usage, and the time of use. We will also ask questions about your energy consumption behavior and potential changes that may increase or decrease your energy usage and or bills, like adding a swimming pool or Electric Vehicle. Using all of this data, our proprietary system will generate a detailed financial cost/benefit analysis unique to your requirements.

More than you will need! The Pinnacle Group only uses the most efficient panels in the world, so our systems require fewer panels than systems from our competitors. With local building codes and individual roofs having different vents and chimneys, it all comes down to individual needs and requirements in your jurisdiction. The only way to know for sure is with a site survey.

Panels are manufactured in various colors and people may prefer specific panels over others. The Pinnacle Group always shows their clients what is available so the client can choose. One thing is for sure, your panels will get noticed.

Usually, it will not, because solar has a very low-risk factor for theft or fire. Based on feedback from 1000’s of customers, insurance may go up around $100 per year only for very large systems.

Yes. We install solar panels on mobile homes as a common practice, as long as they have a permanent foundation. Just like any residential property, engineering is required for snow and wind loads. We have not found a home that did not satisfy our engineering as of yet. However, we do not install solar on RV/motorhomes.

You will use your new solar panels by just living your life normally. Solar energy will simply make life easier by providing clean and inexpensive energy.

New solar power systems should operate without any need for maintenance, and we will provide you with the details on how to monitor your system from your phone or PC.

It should be unnoticeable, excluding appliances or devices that were not planned and set up to be on backup power.

Energy production is higher in the summer than in the winter due to the added number of sun hours. However, energy consumption may be higher in the summer due to the use of air conditioning. So your energy usage may also be higher in the summer than in the winter.

Your system should be designed to generate all the electricity you need throughout the year.

Yes! The panels protect your roof from direct sunlight (UV rays), direct rain, wind, and hail. The roof area beneath the panels will age at a much slower rate than the part that is not under the solar panels.

Nothing operates at 100%. Solar panel power ratings are determined by their output in optimal testing conditions.

Solar panels typically operate at around 80% of their power rating. This is because small bits of energy are lost in normal operation.

The Pinnacle Group systems are expertly designed to take all of these factors into account, and we can guarantee our solar panel installations will produce exactly what they are supposed to.

Of course, shading will affect the output of the panels. All shading issues are addressed and resolved prior to installation. The Pinnacle Group’s Inverters and Microinverters have shade mitigation technology built-in and will handle shading issues when necessary.

If your roof needs to be replaced before we install solar panels, we can take care of that. Any home improvements included with your solar installation are also subject to the federal solar tax credit. You can save 26% on roof replacements if you go solar at the same time.

The Pinnacle Group takes every precaution to prevent leaks and the best sealer is used for the various types of roofs. The solar panels protect your roof. If there are any problems around the solar panel installation, it will be covered by our 25 Year 6-point warranty.

A number of factors can change this time, including user behavior, utility rates, and use time. The average payback time in Virginia is around 5 to 7 years.

This “payback period” may change because of local solar incentive changes.

The average lifetime returns from solar investments are 16% and many are above 20%, while a typical bank account returns around .5%; so easily 20 times or 2,000% greater.

More importantly, there is zero return from paying utility bills, it’s just something we have become accustomed to paying to keep our lights on, but now we have a far better option. The average utility bills paid overtime will be in excess of $100k, larger bills around $200k, but the average solar system cost is around $15k after incentives, thus solar is over 1,000% cheaper than remaining with the utility company.

Take it further, invest the savings into a compound mutual fund. You can turn that $100k utility bill into a $400k investment account by diverting the money from the utility bills to yourself.

The typical roof-mounted installation takes about 2 business days.

The standard ground mounts and carports require trenching from the solar structure to the main service panel and drilling holes 4 feet into the ground to secure the structure. Also, these systems are typically larger and require more materials, labor, and inspections and will usually require several days.

All solar project plans are submitted to the county or city building departments to get plans approved in order to pull the required permits.

Depending on the jurisdiction, there may be only a final inspection when completed, or there may be several inspections during different phases of the project.

Once everything is certified, approved, and signed off by the inspectors, we can then submit to the utility for permission to operate.

On average, our customers see this happen in around 2 or 3 days.

Once the project is completed, certified, approved, and signed off by the city or county we request permission to operate from the utility. Depending on their internal workloads, the utility can take from 1 day up to a couple of weeks.