FAQ

What are the tax incentives available for weatherization?
The Federal tax credit as of January 1, 2011 is 30% of material costs up to $500

BGE customers, what incentives does BGE provide for Energy Audits?
BGE rebates the cost of the audit up to $250 if the homeowner makes improvements within 6 months

Does adding more insulation make the home tighter?
NO, adding more insulation acts like a filter but air still moves through. Air Sealing the home reduces the air exchanges and makes the home tighter and more energy efficient.

Once I receive the report, who does the energy improvements recommended?
We will perform the work ourselves. We can do projects from weatherization all the way to building new LEED platinum homes.

What do I get by weatherizing my home and making it Smart?
Your home will be healthier and more comfortable and at the same time you will save money on your energy bills.

Why Should I replace my windows and doors?
The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that as much as one third of the average home’s heat loss occurs through the windows and doors. On its surface this is an astonishing figure, but understandable when you consider that the windows and doors are the biggest openings in your home. Needless to say, replacement windows have many benefits, not the least of which is to the pocketbook, thanks to the energy savings while you own the home, and even significant added value if you decide to sell the home.

Solar FAQ

  • Will I still need to be connected to my utility company?
    Most likely, yes. The benefit of solar systems is diminished when you go off-grid due to the cost and wastefulness of batteries. Being connected to the grid is a good thing, though. The current mandate for “net metering” makes it a requirement for the utility company to allow you to feed unused electricity that you generate back onto the grid and your meter will run backwards while this occurs. Then when you need more electricity than your system is producing you will draw from the grid and your meter will run as it normally would. The net effect is that you are getting full “retail price” credit for the electricity you “store” out on the grid when not using it.
  • How does a Power Purchase Agreement work?
    The host site will grant an easement to the owner of the array, typically a separate entity created to own the system, and the user of the site will agree to purchase power from the system at a discounted rate for a set period of time, usually 20 years. This arrangement allows the host site (and purchaser of the electricity) to achieve cost savings while the owners of the array earn a return on their investment.
  • Can my roof handle the weight?
    The systems do add additional weight to the load-bearing roof, but the engineering of the racking systems spreads that out and typically makes additional structural support unnecessary.
  • Is the income tax credit applicable to Commercial Systems?
    For commercial solar electric systems, the tax credit has recently been replaced by a direct grant from the US Government. This is beneficial to those with out a tax liability and to those who don’t wish to wait until filing their tax returns.
  • What is a SREC?
    A “REC” is what is known as a renewable energy credit. There was a law passed in the state of Maryland back in 2008 that requires a certain percentage of their power be provided by renewable energy sources. This creates opportunity for the individual consumer since the power companies do not have the in-house renewable energy percentages required by law. This means that they need to buy the rights to your renewable energy production. This is done through a third party that packages up individual producers such as yourself and then sells the aggregate to the power company in a larger package.
  • How do I sell my SREC’s?
    Solargaines will facilitate the sale of your RECs to an aggregator. There are two main contracts that an aggregator will use to purchase RECs. Option one is they will give you a lump sum amount to sign for a fixed amount of years so that they can claim your energy production. The other method is through the dispersal of yearly payments which ends up giving you less up front; however, the amount paid out over the length of the contract will be much greater.
  • Can you mount a solar array on a flat roof without making penetrations?
    Yes, on flat roofs we can use what is called a ballasted system. This is a system that is anchored to the roof using ballast.
  • How do I make sure I am taking advantage of all the solar incentives whether they are state, local, or otherwise?
    We constantly monitor the availability of incentives in any form and make sure to pass those along to our customers.
  • How long do these systems take to install?
    It varies widely depending on the size of the job. It could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
  • How much space do I need?
    The amount of space depends on the size of the system. But, in general, for a system generating a substantial amount of energy, there will be a significant space requirement. If there is not enough space on the roof to accommodate the required panel area, there are also numerous different types of ground mounting systems available.