Customer in East Concord, NY Goes Solar – Gives Stellar Testimonial
Posted By: Kylie Monacelli, Sales & Marketing Administrator, Solar Liberty
April 14, 2017
Q: How did you hear about Solar Liberty and what got you interested in going solar?
A: I had seen an increasing number of solar installations being done over the last few years. I always thought that, at my age, the numbers wouldn’t be in my favor and that I’d never break even, so I wrote it off as being something for younger people. Then I saw a television ad for Solar Liberty and I thought that I should at least get some real numbers to look at instead of just using my assumptions. As someone who has been working with technology for years, I was interested in the technical side of solar production.
Q: What helped you make the decision to go solar?
A: My final decision was greatly influenced by the existence of Federal and State tax credits and grants which helped lower my out-of-pocket costs and shorten the length of time before the break even point. The 12-month interest-free loan option was also very attractive. The solar system added resale value to my home, and there was a “coolness” factor that couldn’t be denied.
Q: What do you plan to do with your savings?
A: The money I save will just stay a part of my ongoing financial picture. I have no special plans for the savings, and I am not segregating them from other funds.
Q: Would you recommend Solar Liberty to people you know? Why or why not?
A: I have already recommended Solar Liberty to family and friends and I will continue to mention their name when the discussion turns to solar. I had several solar service providers come to the house initially to make proposals and Solar Liberty was, by far, the most professional, the most knowledgeable, and the least expensive of the group.
Q: How was your experience with Solar Liberty from start to finish/ongoing?
A: Our first meeting was with Nate, our Sales Consultant. He came fully prepared and presented a proposal complete with all the information we would need in order to understand the process, the costs, and the returns. At our request he had prepared information for both a roof mount and a ground mount system. Because his proposals were so complete and accurate, we made our decision less than a week after the initial visit.
Once the contracts were signed, we were turned over to the capable hands of Raquel, our Project Manager. She mentioned once that she was still rather new at the job, but we never got a hint of that from her performance. She was very patient with me as I asked all the usual newbie questions, and she managed the rest of the project with the utmost skill and attention to detail.
I was most impressed with the way Solar Liberty handled a change in the size specifications of my system. The initial proposal called for 250W rated panels and a 7.6kW inverter, but when the time came to get all the pieces together, the 250W panels weren’t available. Solar Liberty upgraded my system to use 260W rated panels and a 10kW inverter at no charge to me. That resulted in a 4% increase in production capacity for no additional cost.
I don’t remember the names of the installation crew, but I was very happy with their approach to the job. We had the worst weather of the Summer on the 2 days they were onsite. They were careful with every step they took and tried to minimize the extent of turf damage due to the rain-filled ground. The crew that worked inside the house likewise did their best to keep the mud out where it belonged. Both the interior and exterior jobs were completed with a very professional look.
Our system was put online less than 2 months after the initial meeting, and I’ve been pleased with the Solar Liberty experience every step of the way.
Q: What is your favorite part about having solar power?
A: I think my favorite part about having the solar system is going down into our basement and hearing the inverter fans humming. I can’t help but smile, knowing that it means my system is doing exactly what I wanted it to do – making use of a renewable energy source, reducing my electric energy bill, and allowing me to take one small step towards improving the environment.
Q: What else would you like to share about your solar experience?
A: I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, even on days when the sun is obscured by clouds or haze, the system still produces power. Our system has been online since November, so it has only been operating during the Winter months, but already I have seen a significant reduction in my monthly cost of electricity. I’m looking forward to see what the Summer months bring.