Miami Solar Power Installers :: South Florida Solar Energy Installation

A.

No. All systems use the existing grid for backup and no intervention is needed to switch back and forth.

A.

All our installations and equipment are certified to meet or exceed Miami-Dade county building codes. Even if the system is damaged, it is part of the property and will automatically be covered under your insurance policy.
 
It is more likely that the system will survive the storm and your biggest problem would be that all your neighbors will find out that you are the only one with hot water and electricity.

A.

Yes! Florida law forbids ordinances, deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements from prohibiting solar equipment use. While an owner cannot be prevented from installing a solar energy system, certain restrictions may be imposed without violating the law. However, those restrictions must be reasonable, not arbitrary, and uniformly imposed on owners in a subdivision. The restrictions cannot act to impair the performance of a solar system or it may be seen as "effectively" prohibiting solar.

A.

First, all solar installations are exempt from the Florida state sales tax. Secondly, as part of the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (the "Financial Bailout" bill), homeowners and businesses can receive a 30% credit on their federal income tax for a solar system that is certified by the SRCC. Yes, a credit, not a deduction! There is no upper limit and, if the full credit cannot be taken in the first year's taxes, it can be applied in future years! Even if you are subject to the AMT, you can claim the full credit. These actions radically speed up the payback time of the installation. There has never been a better time to consider solar energy for your home or business. Contact us and we can help you determine the maximum savings available to you.

A.

The best way to finance a solar energy system is to include it as part of your home mortgage. In long-term loans of 20 years or more, the monthly solar savings will normally be greater than the monthly mortgage payments for the solar system. This way there is no wait for a break-even point. The savings are immediate.
 
If you are buying a new home, you may be able to include a new solar energy system in the mortgage. Also, many Florida lending institutions offer short-term loans for solar systems. Remember, interest payments for home loans, home equity loans, and home improvement loans are also eligible for Federal Income Tax deductions.
 
A consumer loan is another great way to take advantage of an immediate payback from your solar installation. In many cases, the amount you make in payments is less than the amount you are paying for that energy now! Once the loan is paid off you can enjoy free energy. Our analysis can include the effects of different types of financing and show how your savings can be maximized.

A.

Here in south Florida, you need a southern exposure that is relatively shade free. Ideally, your house needs a rooftop with Southern orientation for the solar collectors. If your house has a North-South ridgeline you can tilt the collectors. The tilted array will not be flat to the surface of the roof, but it can still meet the stringent Miami-Dade county codes.
 
While most collectors are mounted on the roof, many have been mounted on the ground, or as an awning on the side of the house. Solar hot water systems are relatively tolerant of non-ideal setups. Orientations of up to 45 degrees East or West of true South has very little effect on year-round domestic water heating. While less desirable, a West or even an East facing water heating system can work well especially with an additional collector.
 
Hot water systems also need a storage tank. Typically this will be in the same location as the existing water heater tank, but it has around twice the capacity, so it will take up more space.
 
We can help you determine where the optimum collector placement is for you. And this advice is free! Contact us and we will help you find the best way to tap into solar savings.

A.

Properly designed and installed systems should perform well for more than 20 years. Controllers and pumps, like other electronic devices, may require servicing during the life of the system, and the hot water tank may have to be replaced after 10 or 20 years. Since conventional water heaters have the same expected lifetime, water tank replacement costs are not regarded as unique to solar hot water systems.
 
We can provide maintenance checkups of your solar systems similar to annual air-conditioning system maintenance programs. This can be beneficial in extending the life of the system and ensuring optimum performance and maximum savings.

A.

No. Solar water heaters are always installed with a backup heating system in the storage tank to ensure that hot water is available at all times. However, to maximize solar utilization and your savings, you should attempt to use the most hot water in the late morning and early afternoon when the solar system is operating at its peak due to the available sunshine. Also, your solar system will be more effective if your use of hot water is spread more evenly over the week. For example, if you use hot water for laundry, instead of washing seven loads of clothes in a single day, wash one load each day. This will reduce the amount of backup energy required for your solar system. If this is not the case, it is possible to adapt the system to optimize savings to your usage patterns and still provide savings. This is a great example of where our engineering expertise can provide value over a basic contractor's installation. Call us after other contractors give you a quote for their standard system.

A.

Your monthly savings will depend on the amount of hot water you use, the storage tank size and type and the price of fuel used for backup water heating. For a family of four, the typical hot water usage is 70-gallons per day, thus using 3990-kilowatt-hours per year to heat the water electrically, or $399 per year worth of electricity at 10 cents per kilowatt-hour.
 
A properly sized solar water heater should save between 50% and 85% of the hot water portion of the monthly utility bill, or $200 to $300 per year for a family of four, if the backup element is kept at 122° F.
 
These saving are in post-tax dollars, of course. Depending on your tax bracket, you would need to earn more than this to pay the income tax on this money. And remember, as electricity and other fuel prices go up, your solar savings will increase accordingly.
 
A solar water heater can save even more if you turn off the backup and rely solely on the sun for your hot water. During summer months, when hot water demands are lower and the sun shines longer, most solar owners turn off the backup element.
 
Call us and we will give you a customized analysis that will help determine the optimum solution that fits your needs and maximizes cost savings for you.

A.

Solar photovoltaic systems are less efficient and more complex than solar hot water systems. Collector placement is more exacting and even slight shading of the collectors (such as from a tree branch) will radically reduce their output. Florida Power & Light now allows net metering, so you can generate into the grid and receive credit for the extra power you produce. Solar electric systems can be cost effective, but the payback time is longer than for hot water systems and the up-front costs are greater. There are three basic types of photovoltaic panels that vary in cost by a factor of ten or more. Nowhere is it more important to have a careful cost benefit analysis that maximizes your savings over the life of a system under real-world conditions.
 
Optimizing a photovoltaic system is too important to leave to someone who is simply a contractor. Heliotropics has the engineering skills to provide the optimal system architecture that maximizes your return on investment. Ask us and we can help evaluate the electrical and financial possibilities available to you.