Solar questions, answered honestly
No jargon, no inflated promises — just straight answers about going solar in California. Can't find what you're looking for? We're a quick call or email away.
The solar basics
Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into DC electricity. An inverter then converts that DC into the AC power your home and appliances actually use.
Lower energy bills, a smaller carbon footprint, greater energy independence (you generate your own power), and — for an owned system — potentially added home value.
Savings vary a lot by location, system size, your utility rate plan and how much energy you use, so we will not quote one figure that applies to everyone. We build an estimate from your own bill and usage and show you the assumptions behind it, rather than a best-case marketing number.
It depends on your usage, location and utility rates. With a well-designed, efficient system many homeowners significantly reduce their bills — but we won't promise to eliminate your bill entirely.
Check your monthly utility bill (for example, your PG&E statement) or log in to your provider's online account to review your usage and rates.
How solar fits your home & the grid
Panels generate electricity during daylight hours and don't produce power at night. To use your solar energy after dark, pair your system with a battery that stores daytime power.
Not outright. Under California's Solar Rights Act (Civil Code section 714), any HOA rule that effectively prohibits a solar system is void. An HOA can still apply reasonable restrictions on how and where a system is installed, but for a rooftop PV system those conditions cannot add more than $1,000 to the cost or cut production by more than 10% against your proposed design. An HOA also has to act on a complete application in writing within 45 days, or it is deemed approved.
Yes. All of our systems meet national, state and local building and fire codes.
Net energy metering is a billing arrangement that credits you for the solar electricity you export to the grid. In California, new systems in PG&E, SCE and SDG&E territory now go on to the Net Billing Tariff (often called NEM 3.0), which credits exports at an hourly avoided-cost rate rather than the retail rate you pay for the power you import. Publicly owned utilities set their own rules.
Under California's current net-billing rules, the energy you export to the grid is credited at a lower rate than it used to be. That makes pairing solar with a battery far more valuable — you store and use your own power in the evening instead of selling it back cheaply.
Solar is clean and renewable. It cuts greenhouse-gas emissions compared with electricity generated from fossil fuels.
Storage, backup power & outages
We offer batteries in 10 kWh, 13.6 kWh and 15 kWh. The 15 kWh unit is roughly 5 ft tall, 3 ft wide and 9 in thick, and multiple units can be combined for more capacity.
Indoors or outdoors. Mounting the battery near the inverter lowers cost and improves efficiency.
It means charging your battery with daytime solar and then using that stored energy during expensive peak evening hours — lowering your bill on time-of-use rate plans.
Yes. Just tell your consultant about both needs so we can design your system to handle them together.
Some systems are sized for whole-home backup, while others cover only critical loads (like the fridge, lights and Wi-Fi). We'll help you choose the right approach.
It depends on your battery size and how much energy you use. Larger batteries and lower usage will keep your power running longer.
A grid-tied system without a battery shuts off during outages for safety. Adding a battery keeps your power flowing when the grid goes down.
What to expect on install day
Yes. We offer roof, carport and canopy/ground-mount options, so we can find a setup that works for your property.
If your roof is older (around 13+ years) or has thin shingles, we may advise replacing it before installing solar. We also offer roofing services to handle this for you.
The licensed contractor carrying out your installation is insured and responsible for damage caused during the work, and we make sure that is set out in your paperwork before anything starts. We coordinate any claim on your behalf rather than leaving you to chase it. Pre-existing damage remains the homeowner's insurance responsibility.
Typically one to ten days, depending on the size of your system and the complexity of your site.
Usually about 8 weeks, which covers system design, permitting and equipment procurement.
Paying for solar in 2026
Cash, solar loans, leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs) — some with no upfront cost and low interest. We'll explain the trade-offs of each so you can pick what fits.
You stay a utility customer, so you keep paying fixed charges: non-bypassable charges on the electricity you import, plus your utility's minimum bill or daily service charge. The amount depends on your utility and rate plan. Depending on your equipment and any financing agreement there may also be monitoring or maintenance costs.
California's active solar energy system exclusion (Revenue & Taxation Code section 73) means a qualifying system does not add to your home's assessed value. Under current law that exclusion covers systems completed before January 1, 2027, and is scheduled to sunset after that unless the Legislature extends it. Please confirm your own situation with a tax professional or your county assessor.
Research on the California market has generally found that an owned solar system adds to resale value, though the effect varies by home, system size and buyer. A leased or PPA system is different: it transfers with the agreement rather than adding value outright. An appraiser or agent is the right person to value it for your specific home.
The 30% federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired Dec 31, 2025 for systems you own. A federal credit may still flow through a lease or PPA, and some California programs (such as income-qualified battery rebates) remain. We'll walk you through what actually applies to your home — and recommend confirming the details with your tax professional.
Agreements, coverage & support
It depends how the system is financed. An owned, paid-off system usually transfers with the house. A solar loan generally has to be paid off at closing or formally assumed by the buyer if the lender allows it, and a lease or PPA has to be assumed by the buyer with the provider's approval. We will explain exactly which applies to your agreement.
Changes are handled through change orders. Under California law (Business & Professions Code section 7159) you can cancel a home-improvement contract signed away from our office within three business days — five business days if you are 65 or older — and get your deposit back. Your contract includes a written Notice of Cancellation explaining exactly how. Before you sign, we also give you the CPUC California Solar Consumer Protection Guide and the CSLB Solar Energy System Disclosure Document to read and sign.
Coverage comes from the equipment manufacturers, so the exact terms depend on the products in your design. Panel product and performance warranties commonly run 25 years, and inverter warranties commonly run 10 to 25 years. Your written proposal and contract set out the precise warranty terms alongside our own workmanship coverage — ask us for them before you sign.
We design to a modelled production estimate and monitor your system after switch-on, so if it under-performs we investigate and put right anything covered by our workmanship warranty or the manufacturer's warranty. We do not advertise a blanket production guarantee — if a written production guarantee matters to you, ask us and we will set out in your contract exactly what is covered.
We give you our best pricing upfront and a site survey confirms the final technical details before anything is fixed. Your contract also carries the CSLB Solar Energy System Disclosure Document on its front page, showing total cost and financing, and we give you the CPUC California Solar Consumer Protection Guide to read and sign before you commit.
Email navjot@singhsolarcouple.com or call us — our team is ready to help.
Equipment, maintenance & the future
Yes, slowly. Modern panels typically lose well under 1% of their output a year, and manufacturers publish a performance warranty guaranteeing a minimum output at year 25. We will show you the specific degradation and performance figures for the panels in your design.
There is always something newer coming. Mainstream panel efficiency now improves in small increments year to year, so waiting usually costs more in utility bills than it saves on equipment. That said, rules and incentives do change, and we will tell you honestly if waiting makes sense in your case.
Very little — mostly occasional cleaning and an eye on your monitoring. The inverter is the part most likely to need replacing during the life of the system; check its warranty term in your proposal.
It depends on your roof, shading, budget and monitoring needs. We'll recommend the best fit for your home.
Yes, and we can size your system to support future EV charging.
On request, we provide recommendations to help reduce your home's overall electricity demand.
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