Jerry Barnes is a semi-retired civil engineer and grandfather who moved to Texas with his wife Shelley, a nurse, 12 years ago. After 32 years in Oregon, he was ready to escape the cold, wet winters and to be able to play golf year-round. When two of his sons in Portland put solar panels on their homes, Jerry became interested in the new Barnes family solar tradition. Keep reading this solar panel customer reviews.
Family Decides To Go Solar
“We were really impressed not only with Zach but with the whole company and all the people who came out – top quality, really nice, helpful people. It was so easy it was unbelievable. We didn’t have to do anything but hand over the check.”
The idea of solar stayed in the back of Jerry’s mind until he heard a knock on the door one day. Standing on his welcome mat was a door-to-door solar salesman. As his pitch unfolded, Jerry sensed the salesman was in over his head, and the salesman revealed it was his first-ever pitch. Jerry decided to go in a different direction.
Even though the salesman lacked the experience Jerry could trust, the conversation kindled his interest. Jerry decided to get serious about going solar. He did some research online and found Freedom Solar on Yelp.
Family Consults with Sales Manager
He reached out to schedule a no-obligation consultation in his home with sales manager Zach Stirling. Zach was very well-informed and made a great impression. So did Regan Jung, the site assessor who designed a tailored solar solution for Jerry’s roof. Freedom’s employees treated Jerry and his family with Texan friendship as they shared their solar experience and knowledge.
Jerry got a call to schedule the installation. Putting the solar solution on his roof took only two days. The Maxeon (previously SunPower) panels looked beautiful on his roof. A week later the city inspector came out, and the system passed his rigorous inspection. With the flip of a switch, Jerry stopped paying an electric bill.
The whole process was “effortless.”
The Solar ROI for Families
“I think it’s worth it, good ROI. I’m impressed, and I’m very happy with it. We haven’t paid a dime in electric bills since the system was installed.”
For Jerry, the Austin Energy rebate and federal tax credit made it hard to say “no” to solar. There are many reasons people consider solar energy. Some folks prioritize the environmental benefits, the boost in their home’s resale value or the financial benefits of the savings.
Jerry looks at the financial benefits through the lens of his yearly return. He said, “I get asked about the payback a lot, but for me it’s more about the return on investment because we don’t pay for electricity anymore.” With the utility bill savings exceeding the financed system’s annual cost, he’s getting a 5% return on his yearly investment, a decent return with no risk.
Residential Solar Panels After One Year
“We love it. I’m feeling hip and green. Be greener than your kids!”
Jerry’s home solar panel system was energized on October 25, 2016 by solar panel installer Freedom Solar. With mostly gas appliances, his HVAC is the biggest electric cost. Going solar in the fall, when they weren’t using the air conditioner as much, meant he was able to generate a significant credit with his utility over the winter. Even after using his air conditioning through a sweltering summer, thanks to his solar array his family paid nothing for electricity for the full year.
Jerry loves his monitoring system. A year later, he still goes online regularly to check his production and wonders why he has not paid for electricity this year. The system has been running perfectly smoothly, and Jerry is looking forward to years of savings.
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Freedom Solar has an experienced team of solar experts available to help anytime you have a query or need solar repair, maintain or upgrade your solar panels. Simply request the service and they will take care of the rest!