HOUSTON (CW39) – The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Does that play a role in where you put the panels on the home?
“Absolutely. What we are looking for is solar radiant factor and you are going to find that on the east, south, and west side of the home”, says Freedom Solar Representative Gene Smith.
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Not all homes are suited the same for solar panels. Freedom Solar Representative, Gene tells me trees are the kryptonite for solar rays.
How the Home Solar Installation Process Works
“The first thing is doing a lidar test for the home. We test several factors, first is the tilt of the roof. What we are looking for is about a 30-35% rise in the roof. Second, is the exposure to the southern part of the roofline which is 180 degrees azimuth. We want optimal sun exposure throughout the year. Anything above 90% is considered excellent. In Kimmy’s case… 95% solar exposure on this roof.”, Freedom Solar Representative.
Now let’s go meet Kimmy!
When did you get these installed on your roof?
Kimmy Gullet says, “They were installed about 6 weeks ago”.
So, you are brand new to this business!
“We have lowered our AC; it is cooler inside the house now because we are paying less for our bills. That was one of the major upgrades that we made.” he adds.
Panels work by converting solar energy into electric energy. Through a process called the photovoltaic, or PV effect, and with the use of an inverter.
Household Savings of Kimmy’s Home Solar Installation
“Our house basically runs free of charge during the day, and it stores energy and takes it back to the grid which is through ERCOT. It stays there. At night we can pulls from the grid, we get a credit called net metering. Our bill should average out to zero over the year.”, Gullet.
What inspired you to get panels? Was it for environmental reasons or purely for lower bills?
Kimmy says, “The environmental impact was the main part we have been looking into this for 5 years.”
Another reason tugs at Kimmy’s heartstrings, and likely yours too.
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“We wanted our carbon footprint to come down. I have children and grandchildren…we want things to be good for them with the environment in the future.”, Gullet.