Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about solar? These are the answers you’re looking for! We’ve curated a set of frequently asked questions to provide you with clarity and confidence.
Questions? We’ve got you.
We believe solar should be affordable for everyone, and offer multiple financing options. You can opt to host panels on your roof, paying nothing for their installation, and simply pay for the electricity. Or, you can purchase the system outright, or finance your system with 0-10% down. We’re happy to talk through your options with you.
Your savings will depend on how much electricity you use, how many panels are installed on your roof, and how much of your electricity use those panels offset. As one example, Uprise customers report paying around $20 for summer bills when they were paying over $100 before solar. Your utility costs with solar should be significantly less than they were before solar (and if they’re not, we want to know so we can help troubleshoot!). Call or email us and we’d be happy to talk you through what you can expect to save by going solar in the District, Maryland, or Virginia.
If you receive solar through Uprise’s no-cost solar program, you’ll pay Uprise for the electricity your panels generate (at a lower rate than what you’d pay your utility company), and you will continue to receive a bill from your utility company for any power you need at night or when it’s not sunny. Solar typically saves homeowners 50 to 80% on electricity bills.
Yes! This is called net metering. When your rooftop solar panels generate more electricity than you use, you sell the excess power back to your electric company, which then gives you a credit on your power bill. Read more about how it works on our net metering page.
There are a few factors that go into an answer, such as how many panels are on your roof, but according to EnergySage, the solar payback period, or how long until you recover the cost of a solar panel system you purchased, is around eight to nine years.
Installation typically happens over 1-2 days.
Technically, you don’t need to install any batteries with your solar panels. Batteries give you more options and may save you money, but they can be expensive. We talk through the pros and cons on our battery storage page.
Our expertise isn’t just in installation, but in maintenance as well. If your solar panels aren’t performing as expected, please reach out to us and we’d be happy to troubleshoot for you. Learn more about solar panel maintenance on our solar maintenance page. And remember, we’ll provide maintenance even for systems we didn’t install.
Solar panels still produce power on cloudy, foggy, or rainy days, although not as much as they would on a sunny day. They can also generate electricity in light snow, but again, not as much as they would in direct sunlight. (They do love cold and sunny days!)
Systems tied to the grid — aka your solar panels — go out also. It is not safe to send power out to the grid when utility workers are attempting to fix a power outage.
If your roof has room, it’s possible. When the Uprise Solar team puts together the design for your roof, we account for space and which direction your roof is facing. Solar panels generate the most power on south-facing roofs; so if you have room on a north-facing side, for example, or a very shaded side, it may not make sense to add more panels. But we’re always happy to talk you through your options. Just give us a call or email us.
Your home will still be connected to the grid after we install solar.
According to Zillow research, houses with solar panels sell for around 4.1% more. Buyers today are more conscious of a potential home’s sustainability. Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trends Report showed over 80% of home buyers find energy efficient features to be important. One thing you should consider is who owns the solar panels on your roofs; if you are the owner, you can simply sell them along with your house. But if you’re leasing them, you may need to transfer the lease to the buyer.
Both DC and Maryland offer property tax exemptions for solar. Virginia lets each town decide on property tax exemptions, and currently 30 localities offer a partial or full exemption for solar.
If you own your solar panels, you can sell them along with your home. If you financed your system, you can either pay off the loan when you sell, or you can transfer the loan to the new homeowner. Just remember that transferring the loan is subject to the lender’s loan terms.