The Good, Bad, & Ugly About Solar

Onyx Solar Solutions will be unlike working with any other solar companies in the Phoenix area.  We set ourselves apart in this industry by bringing you every pro and con of going solar for your home. Upfront honesty and transparency are important to us, and it is what’s needed to be sure we are bringing you the best solar energy solution in Phoenix to meet your needs. 

Below we are going to lay out the good, the bad, and the ugly. We want to truly understand you, the goals for your home, your budget, energy needs, and any details in between so that going solar is guaranteed to be the right choice.

the good about solar!

the bad about solar

the ugly about solar

For every situation that arises, Onyx Solar has a solution! We hope these explanations have helped paint the entire picture when making this decision for your home. Onyx Solar is here to make the process as smooth as possible, so please never hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns. 

Let’s start with the good!

Unfortunately, there are some negatives with solar and we want to lay those out for you. A lot of other companies are not upfront about certain situations or obstacles that can arise, but Onyx is! You will find that the positives definitely outweigh the negatives!

Saving Money

Most Arizona homeowners go solar for the opportunity to save money immediately and long-term. It truly is one of the greatest aspects for using the sun as your energy supplier! Going solar in Arizona will lower your energy bill, and in some cases, can eliminate the utility bill altogether.

Environmental Impact

In addition to saving money, choosing a renewable resource for your energy source heavily and positively impacts the environment. For example, one home going solar will save over 1800 trees annually. Imagine if your entire neighborhood went solar! That’s a lot of trees.

Low Maintenance

Another great aspect about going solar is once we’ve completed the install, they are essentially maintenance-free. Due to the angle in which the panels are installed on the roof, most debris will slide off your panels or blow off in the wind. From time to time, customers will pay a solar panel cleaning company to come and do light maintenance, such as rinse off the panels and clean off inevitable bird waste. The average cost of the service is around $150 and most of our customers do this once a year. If you choose to do this yourself, please take extreme caution while on the roof. We highly recommend hiring a professional. Onyx Solar Solutions would be happy to provide you with a referral for the panel cleaning service. Overall, it factors out to be an as-needed service, but the cost of maintaining your solar system is next to nothing!

Increased Home Value

Solar power also increases your property value if you decide to sell your home. If the system is not paid off, the new owner will be enticed by a locked-in rate and the appeal of not wondering what the new bills of a new home might be. You’re providing them peace of mind. Even better, if the system is paid off, the new homeowner will be enthralled to learn they have a $0 electrical bill!

The Cost of Not Going Solar

Using the power company for electricity can get expensive. If you pay a $250 bill each month, you’ll be paying over $60,000 over the next 20 years! With solar, you own your power instead of renting it from a utility company.
The Bad, and The Ugly

Unfortunately, there are some negatives with solar and we want to lay those out for you. A lot of other companies are not upfront about certain situations or obstacles that can arise, but Onyx is! You will find that the positives definitely outweigh the negatives! 

Solar is not free

This is a common misconception in the solar industry. Although it is offered at zero dollars out-of-pocket and no money down, solar is basically a bill swap. Rather than renting your energy from the local utility company, you will now make a locked-in, lower fixed monthly payment towards the price of the solar panels that go up on the roof. You will no longer endure energy shortages, blackouts, or price hikes that occur nearly annually with utility companies. Your payment is simply directed to the cost of the solar system equipment.

Not everyone will qualify for the tax incentives

Every customer’s financial situation is unique, and while Onyx will lay out all of your financing options and potential tax credit opportunities, we are not tax advisors and cannot guarantee certain incentives. The homeowner will be responsible for consulting with a tax professional to see which incentives they qualify for and how to obtain them.

Solar may be a financed debt

We have a lot of great partners ready to help with a financial loan for your solar system, if needed. If you choose to go the financing route, you will not have an additional out-of-pocket expense, but your new payment can be viewed as a financed debt on your credit. As we stated above, you will no longer directly pay the utility company and will only make a monthly payment toward the solar equipment.

Solar may not eliminate your entire energy bill

Depending on your geolocation, certain utility companies do not allow you to offset your energy usage 100%. For example, you may be able to offset 80% of the cost, but still owe 20% to the local utility company. There are certain areas in the Arizona Valley that allow you to offset 100% or more, and in those situations the customer is able to eliminate their entire energy bill once the solar system equipment has been paid off. This is something that will be addressed upfront in your consultation, so if you are unsure about what your local utility company allows, please ask your energy consultant and we will guide you through the process.

Timeline Obstacles

During the installation process, there are a few things that are out of our control, such as waiting on city permitting. We will do our due diligence to get the system on your roof as quickly as possible, but there are times when permitting can take several weeks to months. We are committed to constant communication with our customers and will keep you updated along the way. Each city is different, and we will do our best to provide you an accurate timeline and expectation for your solar system install.

Solar panels may void your home roof warranty

Certain roofing companies void their warranties if solar panels are installed onto the roof. This is something the homeowner can check into individually to see what their options are. At Onyx Solar, we offer certain warranties when the solar panels penetrate the roof and can go over those options with you, should you find out your home roof warranty would be voided. Again, this is something to discuss with your energy consultant and your warranty provider. Onyx also has wonderful partnerships with local roofing companies and may be able to wrap in a new roof along with your solar panel installation.

For every situation that arises, Onyx Solar has a solution! We hope these explanations have helped paint the entire picture when making this decision for your home. Onyx Solar is here to make the process as smooth as possible, so please never hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.