Coloradans are known for harnessing elements of the earth to cultivate excitement and functionality into their daily lives. From living in the mountains enjoying hiking and nature on the weekends, to using the sun and wind to create energy, the earth is at the heart of their culture. This holds true for Justin Jajczyk, who lives in Aurora, Colorado outside of Denver, and is the Head Football Coach, Girl’s Golf Coach, and Social Studies Teacher at Cherokee Trail High School.
Jajczyk chose Freedom Solar Power as the finishing touch on his family’s home renovation, and said he was “able to sleep better at night knowing that we were going to go solar, doing it the right way.” Read on to hear how solar is paying for his trip to Mexico this spring, raising funds for his football booster club, and even bringing old friends back together.
[Related: Home Solar Installation]
Updating his 1980’s Childhood Home
Jajczyk bought his house five years ago from his parents after they encouraged him to move back into his childhood home. After pushback for a few years, Jajczyk agreed to purchase the house when his parents were moving into their retirement home, but he worried how big the undertaking was going to be if they wanted to modernize the house.
They updated just about every corner of the home to give it their own personal touches and move away from the four-decade old style. Some of the changes include new paint on the interior and exterior, landscaping, a new roof and, of course, solar panels.
“I knew after my brothers and I grew up here, and all the damage we had done [to the house], that it was going to be a lot of work. We have done a lot of renovation work both inside and out, but the solar panels have been the icing on the cake. It has done nothing but improve the visibility and the marksmanship of all the work that we’ve done,” said Jajczyk.
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The Switch to Solar
Nicholas Chavez and Jajczyk knew each other from high school, and when he discovered that Chavez was an Energy Consultant at Freedom Solar, it made the homeowner’s transition to solar that much easier. When Chavez guided Jajczyk through the process, he empathized with the struggles he and so many others were facing with their local electricity provider.
“This area of Colorado is bright, educated, environmentally conscious and now very upset with their electric provider [who] has been moving its customers to a “Time of Use” rate over the last 18 months, and most homeowners are experiencing 20% to 25% increase in electric costs due to this,” explained Chavez.
“The customer service [from Freedom Solar] has been nothing short of spectacular. They worked around our busy schedules. My wife works and I am a teacher and a coach, so we are never really home. They were able to come to the house convenient to us and work on the back installation; everything was a breeze” said Jajczyk.
Justin’s Positive Payback With Solar
Justin went with a 6.54 kW system size, which was sized to cover close to 100% of his home’s electricity usage.
Not only has going solar decreased his monthly utility payment, but he also knows that the return on investment is going to benefit him and his family for years. They gained thousands of dollars back when claiming the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit after installation, and they used those funds for another home improvement – the removal of the popcorn ceilings that have been in the home since the 1980’s.
Plus, the Freedom Solar referral program has been like a gift that keeps on giving. “The referral program for our neighbors across the street and my 64-year-old parents going solar allowed us to get rewards back for them choosing Freedom Solar,” said Jajczyk. “My wife and I decided we were going to use that money to go on a nice vacation this spring in Mexico.”
Sharing his love of solar doesn’t stop at his parents and neighbors. “My students and I talk about solar energy quite often in our World Geography classes. We study the impact solar energy has on the world, the benefits, some drawbacks, why and how solar could be beneficial to a growing population of 8 billion people,” said Jajczyk.
[Related: Lake Shore Baptist Church Goes Green]
Give Back When You Go Solar
Freedom Solar is all-in for supporting local businesses in our markets. For everyone who goes solar with us by filling out this form, we will donate $500 per installation. These funds will go towards Cherokee Trail High School’s Booster Club in support of the high school football program.
Looking to maintain, repair or upgrade your solar system? Our solar repair and maintenance service department can help you obtain maximum energy production and efficiency.
