Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a licensed and bonded contractor?
Yes. Transform Power is a licensed C-10 electrical contractor in the state of California, license number 1053266. Be aware that many “solar sales” companies exist. These “solar sales” companies add $5000-$10,000 to the price of the job and then hire me to install the equipment. You will always get a better price working directly with a licensed contractor instead of a “solar sales” company.
Does solar make financial sense?
Yes. Solar can save you money on the very first month with financing. Customers who pay for their system upfront can have an ROI as soon as 5 years.
Can I get a Federal Tax Credit?
Yes. Federal tax credits are available but are phasing out. The sooner you install solar the more tax credit you can get. The tax credit decreases over four years: 2021=26% tax credit, 2022=26% tax credit, 2023=22% tax credit, 2024=10% tax credit for commercial only.
What financing option is best?
It really depends on the customer. Customers who pay in full upfront can save the most money over the life of the equipment. Customers who finance can still save significant money vs paying the utility company in their very first year of ownership. We don’t offer PPA or Lease options since they are not a wise investment for the customer.
Will my home still be connected to the utility grid with solar?
Yes. Your solar panels will produce electricity during the day when the sun is up. The solar panels will produce more electricity during daylight hours than your home is using. This excess electricity will go back onto the grid causing your electric meter to spin backward. When the sun goes down and your solar is no longer producing, you will draw this excess power back from the utility grid. It works similar to a bank account. In the day hours, you make deposits onto the grid. In the night hours, you withdraw the deposit you made earlier. At the end of the day, you are back at a zero balance.
Can I power my entire home with solar?
Yes. The only limitation is how many panels will fit on your roof. Customers who have large property have the option of a ground mount solar array. You will still be connected to the utility grid but your power will come from your panels.
What part of my roof is best for solar?
South and west facing roofs get the most sun exposure in Southern California. Due to roof layout sometimes its necessary to use the east facing roof also. North facing roofs should be avoided.
What is a KWH?
KWH is an abbreviation for Kilowatt Hour. A Kilowatt is 1000 watts. Most people are familiar with a 100 watt light bulb. A Kilowatt is equal to 10 of such bulbs. If you ran 10 of these 100-watt lights bulbs for 1 hour it would equal 1 Kilowatt Hour. A Kilowatt Hour is used by the utility company to determine how much electricity you use over a month. Typical households use about 700-1500 KWH per month depending on the time of year and size of the home.
Do I need to notify my HOA?
Yes, you should get approval from your HOA. In California, the California Solar Rights Act and AB 2188 state that the homeowner’s association’s (HOA’s), governments, and other organizations cannot prevent you from installing a solar electric system on your property. However, homeowners’ associations (HOA’s) can ask you to modify the design and/or location for aesthetic reasons as long as the changes don’t significantly impact the solar electricity production (a decrease of more than 10%) or cost more than $1,000 in total.
What brands do you install?
We only install top-level panels such as LG, Hanwha, Canadian and Solaredge inverters.
Do the panels have a warranty?
Yes. The panels we install all have warranties ranging from 12 to 25 years depending on the manufacturer and panel model.
Do the panels require maintenance?
No real maintenance is necessary other than cleaning. This is one of the benefits of solar! If the panels seem to be getting dirty, they can be cleaned with a hose. This should only be done in the morning or evening hours when the sun is not up.
Do you install batteries?
Yes. We install batteries made by LG Energy. They mount on the wall in your garage. They can be used to save money by offsetting your usage during the high priced time of use rates. They can also be used as a backup for power outages.
Are solar Leases or PPA's a good deal?
Transform Power doesn’t offer PPA’s or Leases. These options often cost significantly more over the life of the system when compared to traditional financing. Unfortunately, some “solar sales” companies use Leases and PPA’s to take advantage of people, and have given our industry a bad reputation. The state of California released a Solar Consumer Protection document to warn customers about these types of loans.
