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Frequently Asked Solar Questions.

HOME CONSIDERATIONS

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• Do I need to own my own home?

  While solar should be a solution for every resident, only Virginia homeowners (and landlords) can ultimately make the decision to install a system through Dominion Energy Solutions.

• What if I have trees on my property?

  No need to worry if your home experiences a bit of shade throughout the day. Your roof doesn’t need 100% sun exposure all day to benefit from a solar system thanks to the latest advancements in solar technology. However, if your home is shady for most of the day it is not a good idea to install a solar system. Not sure? Let us take a look and perform a complementary shade analysis to see if solar is a good fit for your home.

• Is my roof suitable for solar?

  Solar panels can last 30 years or more without needing replacement, and that’s a long time in roofing years! To that end, you should consider replacing your roofing material if it is at the end of its life.

  The material of your roof is also something to consider. Wooden roofing materials are not good candidates for solar panels as they splinter. Slate is also very difficult to work with as it does not do well with anything anchored through it, but we will consider working with slate roofs depending on the type and age of the slate.

  The orientation and tilt of your roof are other factors to consider. Large, southern facing sections of the roof are best as they provide the most access to the sun’s rays. The tilt of your roof is also something to consider. Flat roofs are fine for installation, but more space is required as the panels must be tilted. Very steep roofs offer the opposite problem of not having enough orientation to the sun.

• Will solar offset all my electricity needs?

  Ensuring your panels offset your typical electricity consumption is critical to determining how large a system you will need on your roof. It is always a case-by-case basis, which is why Dominion Energy Solutions offers custom solutions and white-glove service! We can help you balance what you need with what you consume, so get started today by filling out the form below.

SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS

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• What is a solar battery?

  Batteries are a common part of everyone’s daily life from your keeping your fitness watch charged to track your steps to having the world wide web at your fingertips. Battery technology has evolved over the years and now batteries are available for your home. You can store power from the grid or from your solar panels in a battery inside your home.

  When you install your solar panel system without a solar battery, the excess electricity that your system generates gets sent back to the grid (and your meter goes in reverse to account for this).

• What happens during grid failure?

  Electrical grids can go offline, especially during inclement weather. The utility works fast to get things up and running, and yet still some may be without power for days. Installing solar panels is a great way to ensure you won’t lose power, but only if you also have a battery installed to store the energy you produce. Why is this?

  Batteries do not have an endless supply of power to provide on their own. When you couple your solar with a battery, you can recharge your battery to provide a longer supply of power to the home during an outage. Once the grid power is restored to the home, the solar will return to normal operations and the battery will recharge and be ready for a future outage.

• What size battery do I need?

  Batteries come in many different sizes and options. Homes are not one size fits all. Some homes use more power than another and thus Dominion Energy Solutions will help you with sizing a battery system to meet your needs/wants.

• What types of batteries do Dominion Energy Solutions certified installers use?

  Dominion Energy Solutions understands that safety is paramount to you and your home. We have chosen to use the highest quality battery manufacturers to provide peace of mind to you that the battery is safe and healthy for you and your family.

INSTALLER CONSIDERATIONS

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• What level of expertise do Dominion Energy Solutions installers have?

  Every installer in Dominion Energy Solutions’ network is certified with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners‘ Solar PV Installation Professional Certification. This ensures all our installers have gone through rigorous training in designing, installing, and maintaining residential solar projects.

• Are Dominion Energy Solutions installers licensed and insured?

  Dominion Energy Solutions has verified that all installers in our program have the necessary state and local business licenses and insurance policies in place, and we regularly check to ensure compliance.

• How many installations have Dominion Energy Solutions installers completed in the past?

  Certification, licensing, and insurance are not the only ingredients to ensure great results. Our installers have helped over 2,000 families and businesses go solar. This experience goes a long way to ensuring the highest quality solar system for your home.

• Does Dominion Energy Solutions guarantee results?

  Yes. We build our systems based on estimates of how much energy your home needs over the course of a year. We are so confident that our system will deliver that we have a production guarantee for the 1st year of your system. If you do not generate at least 90% of what we have estimated, we will compensate you for the difference.