SOLAR PANEL FAQ
FAQ
We answer a lot of questions before someone decides to go solar. That’s a good thing — it means you’re thinking it through. This page covers the ones we hear most often, answered straight. If you want to talk through your specific situation, call us at 480-405-6105 or get a free solar quote online.
How Solar Works
Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect — silicon cells in each panel generate a direct current (DC) when exposed to light. An inverter converts that DC into the alternating current (AC) your home already runs on. From there, it flows into your electrical panel the same way utility power does. The only visible difference shows up on your electric bill.
Yes — less, but they still produce. If there’s enough light to cast a shadow, the panels are generating electricity. In Arizona, this is rarely a concern: Phoenix averages over 300 sunny days a year, and even on overcast days, production stays meaningful. A system sized for the Phoenix metro will outperform a larger system installed in Seattle or Portland.
Yes. Solar panels and battery systems are mature, well-regulated technology with no hazardous byproducts. Every panel we install is UL 1703 certified and carries a Class C fire rating. Before any system is energized, it goes through permit inspection by both the local jurisdiction and the utility company. Modern systems also include automatic safety shutoffs that disconnect from the grid during outages.
No — solar panels need sunlight to produce electricity. At night, a standard grid-tied system draws power from the utility the same way it always has. If you want to use stored solar energy after dark, a battery system captures the excess your panels produce during the day so you can draw on it at night instead of pulling from the grid.
Yes, meaningfully. Solar produces no emissions during operation — every kilowatt-hour your panels generate is one less coming from a natural gas or coal plant. A typical residential system offsets several tons of CO² annually. That environmental return is real and continues for the full life of the system.
Not without a battery — and this is one of the most common solar misconceptions. A standard grid-tied solar system is required by code to shut down when the grid goes out, to protect utility workers. If backup power during outages matters to you, you need a battery system or a generator. A properly configured battery backup can keep your essential circuits — or your whole home — running through most outages.
Off-grid means your home isn’t connected to the utility grid at all — you produce and store 100% of the electricity you need yourself. That typically requires multiple batteries and a backup generator to cover low-sun stretches. Off-grid systems cost more and take more planning than grid-tied installations, but they eliminate utility dependence completely: no demand charges, no power outages, no monthly bill. They’re most common in rural areas where a grid connection isn’t practical.
Yes. A whole-home generator and a grid-tied solar system work alongside each other without conflict. During an outage, your solar system shuts off (required by code) and the generator powers your home using propane or natural gas — your solar panels don’t run the generator. Both can coexist on the same property and serve different roles.
Cost & Savings
Most residential systems in Arizona fall somewhere in the $15,000–$40,000 range installed — but there’s a lot of ground between those numbers. System size, roof configuration, equipment choices, and whether you’re adding battery storage all move the needle. Smaller systems with straightforward installs land closer to the lower end; larger homes or systems with battery backup can run well above it. We build every estimate around your specific property and actual usage history — no mystery line items, no padded quotes. The best way to know what you’re looking at is a real quote for your home.
For most Arizona homeowners, payback runs 8 to 12 years on average — depending on system size, your utility’s rates, and how much of your usage the system offsets. After that, the electricity your panels produce is essentially free for the remaining life of the system. The federal residential tax credit is no longer available for new installations, which has extended payback timelines compared to prior years — your quote will include an honest savings projection built around your specific situation.
Research consistently shows that homes with owned solar systems sell for more than comparable homes without them. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study found solar installations add measurable resale value — and in Arizona’s market, where buyers already know what a high summer electric bill costs, solar is a genuine selling point. Homes with solar often sell faster, too. Leased systems are a different story: buyers have to agree to take over the lease terms, which can slow or complicate a sale.
The three main paths are cash purchase, a solar loan, or a leased system. Cash gives you the fastest payback and the cleanest ownership — no ongoing payments, no liens. A solar loan lets you own the system with little or no money down and pay over time; we work with Atoms Financial for traditional loan financing. A leased system through LightReach is a lower-barrier entry point if upfront cost or loan qualification is a factor — you don’t own the equipment, but you’re locking in predictable energy costs without the ownership responsibility. We’ll walk you through the tradeoffs of each option so you can choose what makes sense for your situation.
A battery lets you store your solar production during the day and use it at night instead of buying from the grid. In Arizona, where APS and SRP credit excess solar at export rates well below what you pay for power, self-consuming your own electricity is worth more than sending it to the grid for a discount. If your utility uses time-of-use pricing, a battery lets you avoid peak-rate purchases by drawing on stored solar during high-cost evening hours.
Battery systems generally run $8,000–$25,000 or more installed, depending on capacity and configuration. A single battery at the lower end covers essential circuits during an outage; a larger setup designed to carry most of your home’s load costs more. We include battery options and pricing in every quote — and we’ll give you an honest read on whether the numbers make sense for your situation.
Call us at 480-405-6105 or request a free quote online. We’ll start with a no-pressure conversation about your energy usage and roof, then show you what a system would actually cost and save — real numbers, not ballpark estimates. Our solar calculator gives you a rough idea if you want a starting point before we talk.
Incentives
Yes — though it depends on how you go solar and whether you’re a residential or commercial customer.
Residential homeowners who purchase or finance:
The federal 30% residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 and is no longer available. Arizona’s incentives are still fully active, though: a state income tax credit of 25% of system cost, up to $1,000 (ARS §43-1083.01), a permanent property tax exemption, and a sales tax exemption on equipment. You have to own the system — leases and PPAs don’t qualify for the Arizona credit. Also worth knowing: the $1,000 is a lifetime cap per taxpayer, and any prior Arizona solar claims reduce what’s available.
Commercial customers:
Federal incentives under Section 48/48E remain active for qualifying commercial projects — up to 30%, with potential bonus credits depending on project specifics. Talk to your tax advisor about what applies to your installation.
LightReach lease customers:
You don’t personally claim a federal or state tax credit. LightReach, as the system owner, captures available commercial tax structure advantages — and competitive pricing reflects those benefits. See our solar incentives page for full details.
For most Arizona homeowners, yes. The federal credit made the upfront math easier — but solar’s real value is locking in lower electricity costs for 20–25 years while your utility rates keep climbing without it. Arizona has some of the strongest solar production in the country, and the state income tax credit (up to $1,000), property tax exemption, and sales tax exemption are all still active. The underlying case — rising APS rates, long system lifespans, and multiple ways to finance — didn’t change when the federal credit expired.
Arizona offers a 25% income tax credit on the cost of a solar system, capped at $1,000 per taxpayer over their lifetime (ARS §43-1083.01). It applies to owned systems at a primary or secondary residence — leases and PPAs don’t qualify. If your tax liability in year one is less than the full credit amount, you can carry the remainder forward for up to five years. We’ll provide the documentation your accountant needs to file — and we recommend talking to your tax advisor about how it applies to your specific situation.
It depends on your utility. APS has moved to a Net Billing program — excess solar you export to the grid is credited at APS’s export rate, not the full retail rate you pay for power. That gap is meaningful, which is why we design APS systems with self-consumption in mind. For the current export rate, visit aps.com. SRP still uses Net Metering for solar customers, but purchases excess production at a wholesale rate — typically around $0.025–$0.035 per kilowatt-hour — well below what you’d pay at retail. In both cases, the economics strongly favor using as much of your own production as possible rather than banking on export credits.
Arizona exempts solar installations from both sales tax and property tax assessment — two real, automatic incentives that don’t require extra filings at tax time. You won’t pay state sales tax on solar equipment purchases, and the added home value a solar system creates is permanently excluded from your property tax assessment. These exemptions don’t have income limits or lifetime caps like the state income tax credit.
Still have questions about incentives? Call us at 480-405-6105 or get a free solar quote and we’ll walk through what applies to your situation.
Installation Process
Most Phoenix-area homes are a strong fit. South-facing roofs produce the most, but east and west-facing roofs work well too — and many homes have both. Shading from trees or structures reduces output, though modern inverter technology can minimize the impact. During your site evaluation, we look at all of this and give you a straight answer on whether solar makes sense for your specific property.
The physical installation takes one to two days for most residential systems. From signed contract to Permission to Operate, the full process typically runs 2 to 4 months on average — most of that is permitting and utility interconnection approval, not time on your roof. Timelines vary by municipality and how backed up the utility interconnection queue is at the time.
After signing, we finalize the system design, pull the required permits from your city or county, and schedule the installation. You’ll have a dedicated contact who keeps you updated at each stage. Once installation is done, we handle the utility interconnection inspection — and when that clears, you receive Permission to Operate. You don’t chase permits, coordinate inspections, or deal with the utility yourself. We handle the process end to end.
We ask that someone be home at the start of the install to let the crew in and confirm any last-minute layout details. You don’t need to be there the whole day. Our crews are experienced and will leave your property clean when they’re done.
Solar installations require a building permit from your city or county and utility approval for grid interconnection. We pull all required permits on your behalf — you don’t file anything yourself. Requirements vary slightly by municipality, but across the Phoenix metro this is a standard process we’ve been through many times.
Not when it’s done correctly. We use properly flashed and sealed mounting hardware matched to your roof type, and every penetration is waterproofed to meet or exceed standard roofing practice. SouthFace backs all installation work with a 12-year workmanship warranty — if there’s ever a leak or mounting issue tied to our installation, we make it right. If we spot any pre-existing roof issues during installation, we flag them before we proceed — not after.
The panels need to come down first. We handle the removal and reinstallation directly — it’s better to have your solar installer manage this than your roofer, since improper handling can damage the equipment or void warranties. We coordinate with your roofing company to minimize the time your system is offline.
Modern panels are lower-profile and more uniform than what solar looked like 10 or 15 years ago. We work on panel placement during design to balance production efficiency with appearance — on some roofs we can keep panels entirely out of view from the street. If curb appeal is a priority, tell us and we’ll factor it into the design.
No. Arizona law (ARS §33-1816 for HOA communities, ARS §33-439 for deed-restricted properties) prohibits HOAs from outright banning solar installations. An HOA can request that the system be designed to be reasonably consistent with community aesthetics — but they cannot simply say no. If you’ve gotten pushback from your HOA, we’ve navigated this situation many times and can help you work through it.
Equipment, Design & Your Property
System size is based on your household’s annual electricity consumption, which we pull from 12 months of your billing history — that gives us an accurate picture of what you actually use across seasons. Roof space sets a ceiling on how many panels will physically fit, and the efficiency rating of the panels affects the final count. If budget or roof space limits a full-offset system, we’ll walk you through what a partial offset looks like and whether it makes sense for your situation.
The right combination of panels, inverter, and battery depends on your roof, usage patterns, goals, and budget. We source from major manufacturers with proven track records in the field — and we design every system ourselves based on what performs reliably in Arizona’s climate over a 25-year horizon. We’ll tell you exactly what we’re recommending and why — no mystery, no upselling gear you don’t need.
Quality solar panels are designed to produce meaningful power for 25–30 years. Most modules we install carry a 25-year manufacturer performance warranty, and SouthFace backs all installation work with a 12-year workmanship warranty. Inverter warranties vary by manufacturer — typically 5 to 25 years depending on the equipment. If something goes wrong with the installation itself, we cover it. If something goes wrong with the equipment, we help you work through the manufacturer’s warranty process.
Yes — solar and EV charging pair well together, and the combination is increasingly common in Arizona. Whether you need to upsize the system depends on your current energy usage and your driving habits. If you’re planning to add an EV in the next few years, mention it during your consultation — designing the system around that load from the start is more cost-effective than adding capacity later.
If you own the system outright — purchased with cash or a loan — it stays with the home and transfers to the buyer as part of the property. Manufacturer warranties transfer with the system. Any outstanding loan balance is settled at closing like any other lien. In Arizona’s market, where buyers already understand what high summer utility bills cost, owned solar is generally a selling point, not a liability. Leased systems are a different situation: buyers have to agree to take over the lease terms, which can slow or complicate the sale — one reason we walk every customer through the ownership vs. lease tradeoffs before they sign.
Maintenance
Very little. Solar panels have no moving parts, so there’s not much to wear out or service. Most systems run for years without a service call. Arizona’s dust and heat make occasional cleaning and an annual inspection worthwhile — but day-to-day, there’s nothing for you to manage.
We recommend a yearly service visit — a quick inspection of connections, inverter performance, and module output levels. In Arizona’s environment, with the heat and dust load, that annual check is worth it. Catching a small issue early is a lot cheaper than ignoring it until it affects production.
Yes — and more often than in most parts of the country. Dust storms, pollen, and dust devils coat panels with grime that noticeably cuts into production. Rain helps, but Arizona doesn’t get enough of it to keep panels clean on its own. An annual cleaning is a reasonable minimum; some homeowners in dustier areas do it twice a year. You can clean them yourself with distilled water and a soft, non-abrasive cloth — no soap, no pressure washer. Or schedule a cleaning with us if you’d rather not deal with it.
Not much. A properly installed system doesn’t require frequent service, and annual inspections are straightforward. SouthFace service plans are priced based on your home’s location and the number of panels in your system — starting as low as $30/month. Visit our service plans page to get your price and sign up.
Your equipment warranties are issued directly by the panel and inverter manufacturers — those are enforceable with the manufacturer regardless of what happens to any installer. SouthFace has been in business since 2008, and we’re not planning to go anywhere — but installer longevity is a fair question to ask when you’re making a 25-year decision. It’s part of why installer selection matters.
Understanding Your Bill
Yes — most grid-tied solar customers still receive a monthly statement from their utility. Depending on your system size and usage, that bill might be close to zero, show a credit balance, or include only the fixed service charge. In peak Arizona summer months, when cooling runs hard, some homeowners draw additional power from the grid. We design systems around your full-year usage, not just the easy months — so summer shouldn’t be a surprise.
APS and SRP charge higher rates during peak demand periods — typically evenings when grid demand spikes. Solar alone can reduce your daytime grid consumption, but panels aren’t producing during evening peaks when you often need them most. A battery changes that: it stores your solar production during the day and lets you draw on stored energy during high-rate evening hours instead of buying power at peak prices.
The mechanics differ between the two utilities. APS runs a Net Billing program — your exported solar is credited at APS’s export rate, which is well below the retail rate you pay for power from the grid. For the current export rate, visit aps.com. SRP still uses Net Metering for solar customers, but buys excess production at a wholesale rate — typically in the $0.025–$0.035 per kilowatt-hour range. In both cases, the math rewards self-consumption over exporting. We design systems with each utility’s billing model in mind and walk every customer through what their actual post-solar bill will look like before they sign.
Still have questions? Let’s talk.
Every home is different, and we’d rather give you a straight answer for your specific situation than a generic one. Call us at 480-405-6105 or get a free solar quote.
Still have questions about going solar? Call SouthFace Solar & Electric at 480-450-6105, or contact us online! We’re here to answer any questions you may have and would be happy to provide a free consultation.
