First Sun Solar Co

Seven different solar installers made proposals for our 5 kW system. First  Sun Solar wasn't the most expensive or the lowest but they were really thorough and pleasant to work with. At my request, they included our bank loan interest in the approximate payback information. Who else does that?

I had so much faith in their crew that I took an across country trip while the solar panels were installed. I handed them the keys to the house and left. When we got back, the solar panels were all installed and hooked up. A few days later, our electric company finished their connection by installing a net meter and we have been a little power company ever since!

A word about the installation. Neighbors sent me photos while I was on the trip and in every one of them, the workers were wearing safety harnesses. This is required by OSHA but I have seen plenty of roofers and solar installers on roofs without it. Also, something I didn't find when I returned home was trash left behind including cigarette butts.

You, the reader, have two decisions to make: 1) whether or not to buy solar panels and, 2) who to have install them. I can't recommend First Sun Solar more enthusiastically. They will take as much time as you need to explain their program. Their proposal was good for a year and as it turned out, I needed a year to get my ducks in a row (three trees removed, new roof installed and an electrician to replace the electric panel and add some circuits not related to the solar panels.) A year later, First Sun Solar recalculated their proposal and it was just a little bit higher than their year old document but included slightly more efficient panels. 

Six months after installation, we had a microverter fail. Their electrician came up and replaced it at no charge. More recently, the device that reports the power produced quite reporting. Although we thought that it might be a problem with our WiFi router, they came back and spent more than an hour hard wiring the sending unit. We found that indeed, it was our old Linksys Router and after it was replaced with a newer router, the unit started reporting again (and as a bonus, our WiFi connection is faster and more steady than ever.) Again, no charge.
Finally, I'll let you know that the estimates that they gave us 6 months before the installation was complete was pretty accurate. The solar panels cover our electrical needs except in the dark months of December, January and February. We just got our April bill and they owe us $23. With central air conditioning and a bunch of wood working machines going during the day, it is terrific to not worry about the electric bill. Between the tax incentives and the SREC quarterly payments, they really are paying for themselves.
So do it! Put some solar panels on your roof and have First Sun Solar do the installation for you. You will be thanking me, and them.