Solar Panels: The Final Chapter

Well it is complete. After almost a year of getting the permit for the tree, the energy updates to the house, the tree removal, the installation, and all of the inspections it is done. The system is screwed to the roof, turned on, and making power. I hope this is the biggest project we have to tackle as home owners. It has taken a very long time. I have to say it is worth it. We have made a true improvement to the home and its value. It was not always easy to see to the end of the road, but we had the good luck of working with really good companies.
Our tree removal company Austin Tree Surgeons were professional, and promptly brought to our attention and repaired very minor damage done to our fence when removing the tree. I will absolutely use them again when we need them, and would recommend them to anyone. What they did for us was no small job. It was two solid days of work getting that mammoth out of the yard, and they did it for a very fair price. href="http://www.austintreesurgeons.com/images/middlehome_leftpic.jpg">

The folks at Green Collar Operations were great every step of the way. You will have to do this evaluation if you want to sell a home in Austin. When you get the evaluation done it will be good for 10 years. They told me that in Austin homes can lose as much as 30% of their cooled and heated air in the attic or through poorly shutting windows and doors. They sealed up our duct work and put in a heck of a lot of insulation for us. Which we really needed. the house is much more comfortable, and I think it was worth more than what we spent. There are city and federal rebates for this work that you should look into as well, and they will be happy to help you with the paper work for the rebates from the City of Austin.
And finally wonderful folks over at Texas solar power. They stuck with us through all of this. They came out on the weekends to meet with us to go over proposals, and they were there through all of the inspections. The best part, which I could not guarantee to everyone, is they came in significantly under their original price, by keeping an eye on the price of the panels, and having a really great master electrician who found that we did not need an electrical upgrade. They could have easily stuck with their original price and we would have never known. If you choose to work with them you will be getting a great group of professional who know their stuff.

Solar panels making progress….

The beast in the back yard has fallen. The giant ailing Arizona Ash was removed by Austin Tree Surgeons and we were very happy with their work. There was some minor accidental damage to our fence but they repaired it promptly. Brad took us through the process, and is a really nice guy. Chainsaw are not me favorite sound, but it was all worth it. Now we have moved on to step two, the weatherization of our house. This is a good idea for just about any house I think. Rob and Alison of Green Collar Operations have been very helpful, and have explained what we needed and why. When the guys came to do the work, I was surprised at how quiet they were. They checked our ducts, and repaired any leaks, as well as caulked our windows, and put weather stripping on our doors. They also blew 10 inches of insulation in the attic, as we only had 6, and there were gaps in several places. It has only been a few days, but I have already noticed a more consistent temperature in the house. Rob tells me that homes that are even a couple of years old are failing the test, allowing the home to be sold in Austin, of 10%leakage or less. The final step of our weatherization has been to add solar film to our southern and western facing windows. Sunsational Solutions came out and did the film. They were very courteous, and worked quickly. Sam did our evaluation and fully explained how the film works, and what different options we had. He even told me about a shatter proof option that will stop anything but a bullet. You can watch the video online to see it stop a 2x4 being shot from a cannon. The film is virtually invisible, so it would be a much more attractive option that bars on the window, and may be a good investment if you live in an area prone to storms. Chris and Jonathan did the installation. Jonathan told me has been doing this work for 15 years, but you would never believe it to look at him. When they were installing the film you could feel the difference in the heat that was let in through the window without the film, and since it blocks 99% of all UV rays, it is more pleasant to would look through. I would expect it will also help drapes, and furniture to last longer not being bleached by the sun. Overall this has been a pleasant experience. The workmen have all been efficient, and pleasant. I am looking forward to the saving that we can expect on our next utility bills. Next step the solar panels.