Solar Electric Blog

Solar panels are an excellent investment for any homeowner. There are financial benefits, economic benefits, and environmental benefits, all of which are worthy investments. However, the goal of switching over from using traditional power sources (natural gas or coal) to clean energy (solar panels) is not just about cutting costs but also about reducing harmful chemical emissions in the air we breathe and the water we drink.

One of the most common things folks ask about when they are interested in installing solar panels is whether the panels will hold up to North Texas weather.

Choosing the right solar panels for your PV system can be one of the most confusing parts of the whole buying process. You may have read blog articles or talked to several installers you know, or even looked at the solar panel spec sheets and warranties for a bunch of different manufacturers to try to figure it out yourself. If you are like many of our customers, you have done some research, but just don't know how to sort facts from fiction, and then apply the facts to make an intelligent decision.

This is by far the most common question we get here at DFW Solar Electric. It is a great question, and like all great questions, not so easy to answer.  But read on, and hopefully at the end you'll know enough about the topic to be dangerous.

As homeowners ourselves, we know that we don’t even replace a light bulb in our home without contemplating its effect on the resale value of our home.

If you’re like the majority of Americans, your home is your biggest investment, and you don’t want to do anything to compromise that.

The old school mentality was that solar panels intimidated home buyers and could make your home more difficult to sell, or somehow decreased the value of your home. You may have heard this myth circulating as well.

So what is the truth? What is the value of solar when it comes to reselling your home?

It’s that time again! On January 22, 2020, Oncor released the details of its annual solar incentive program, which will undoubtedly launch the wild “solar coaster” ride we experience in North Texas every year. If you live in the Oncor service area, you can get paid up to $8,500 just for installing solar panels on your home.

When combined with the generous Federal income tax incentives, the two programs can offset the total cost of a solar panel system by up to 50% or more. But, you have to act fast, because the Oncor incentive cash is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and once the money runs out, it’s gone for the year!

Here at DFW Solar Electric, we have lots of conversations with homeowners who have heard about solar, but have no idea if solar is right for them. The two questions we get every day are 1) how much does it cost to install solar panels, and 2) how much money can I save by going solar?

Off-the-grid early adopters weren’t as fortunate as today’s homeowners. Solar panels are so common and widely used that they are no longer considered a risky investment. In fact, take a closer look at your community. Chances are more neighbors have solar panels than you realize!

Although solar power has been around for well over a hundred years, it really didn’t experience its residential boom until the 90’s. In the beginning, solar panels were bulky, expensive, and misunderstood. Over the years, solar panels have experienced a complete makeover, adopting sleeker silhouettes and becoming exponentially more cost effective. Today’s solar panels blend seamlessly with modern rooftops, blurring the line between form and function. Recent advertising campaigns have even touted solar panels as being “sexy”.

Clean Energy Pays in North Texas - Learn Its Benefits

Light energy harvested from the Sun – also referred to as solar energy – provides a clean, low-cost form of electricity for residents in sun-rich areas of the country, like North Texas. Solar panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity that is then routed to a device called an inverter. The inverter converts DC electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity.