FAQ's

Q.   How much does a system cost ?

A.  After all appropriate rebates/incentives are applied the cost is approximately $3,500 - $4,500 depending on installation and local requirements. The purchase price is approximately $7,000 - $8,000 depending on a variety of factors including installation specific items.

Q.  What kind of payback can I expect ?

          Environmental

          Financial         

A.  The system will start paying back environmental benefits immediately -  you can expect to reduce carbon emissions by 50 tons over a 20 year period Vs a conventional electric hot water heater, no small accomplishment.

      Straight payback depending on hot water usage could be as little as 7-10 years but if you take the value it adds to your home into account payback could be as little as 3-5 years.   See the Find Solar site for specific information in your home town.

Q.  How well does Solar work in Oregon ?

A.  Despite our "somewhat" cloudy winter days on the westside of the mountains the Valley is on a par with many Midwest cities and even Puerto Rico for the amount of sunshine which reaches the earth. Many areas on the coast get more sunshine than the Valley and Eastern has the best. The Oregon Department of Energy has an excellent site providing many interesting facts on solar in Oregon including details on incentives/rebates etc . The Solar Water Heating Performance Data for Oregon shows how well solar works here.

Q.  How well do solar hot water collectors work in cloudy or cold weather ?

A.  Apricus evacuated tube collectors unlike flat plate collectors are only minimally affected by the cold and can still provide heating of water down to well below freezing with little heat loss. While not as effective in cloudy weather as in sunny weather the collectors can still collect up to 40% of energy in comparison to a sunny day.

Q.  Can I use Solar Hot Water to heat my home ?

A.  Solar hot water can be an excellent add-on for most radiant floor heating systems especially in Eastern Oregon with it's 300+ days of sunshine. The ability to store the hot water generated can greatly improve it's effectiveness in heating your home.

Q.  What Rebates/Incentives are available ?

A.  Federal/State/local government and utilities provide rebates and incentives for customers to invest in solar.

              Energy Trust provides incentives which vary by the capacity of the solar system and whether you currently use electric/gas/oil or other means to heat your hot water

               Please check the Dsire website for the most up-to-date information and click on Oregon when the map appears.

 Q.  How much hot water will the system generate in a day ?

A.  In Summer both the West and East sides up to 70-75 gallons per day. In the Winter the amount generated on the Westside is reduced to the 30-40 gallon range based on cloudiness and reduced hours of sunshine. The Eastside can expect up to 50 gallons in the Winter given the abundant sunshine. With water conservation and heat recovery measures solar hot water can go a long way towards meeting your family's hot water needs.

 Q.  What kind of warranty will I receive ?

 A.  A full two(2) years on labor/materials and a 10 year warranty on the collectors although you can fully expect the system to last over 25 years. Warranty may be voided if not properly installed or not installed by an accredited professional.

 Q.  Will installing a system increase my property taxes ?

A.   Absolutely NOT!!!. It may very well increase your property value but improvements such as solar energy systems are specifically exempt from property tax assessments in Oregon.

Q.  Will installing a system increase the value of my home ?.

A.  There are a number of sources that show an increase in property values with the installation of solar systems. Solar Oregon provides additional details indicating that for every $500/year in reduced energy costs a home increases $10,000 in value. With expected savings in the range of $150-$250/year for a solar hot water system an increase in property value of $3,000 - $5,000 is quite reasonable.

A.  With Solar Hot Water adding value to your home you could qualify for a lower mortgage rate ( usually 1/8%). It makes sense that if a house is worth more, then you can qualify for a bigger mortgage. If your energy bills are lower then you can better meet your mortgage obligations and thus a better "risk" for the mortgage company.

Q. I'm thinking of building a new home how do I include solar ?

A.  Building a new home is an excellent time to consider installing solar hot water. Effective Dec 1st 2007 the State of Oregon through the Department of Energy and it's High Performance Program (HPH) offers significant incentives ( up to $12,000) to the home-builder to include energy efficiency and renewable energy in new homes. 

If you have a question we haven't answered here or if you have comments about the site please EMAIL us at  - info@setantasolar.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. 

If you would like to share your energy savings experiences please feel free to email us at  -  energysavers@setantasolar.com .  

                Thanks.      

                                 The Setanta SolarTeam....