Frequently Asked Questions

Colorado is one of the sunniest states with over 300 days of sunshine a year. Colorado also has pro-solar policy in place along with state and local energy goals that support solar. And there are great local companies like Namaste Solar who can ensure your experience going solar is smooth and sunny.

Solar panels are built with high‐impact tempered glass. The solar industry standard dictates that panels should be able to withstand golf ball-sized hail moving 50 mph. If your solar panels do suffer any hail damage, you can claim the damage via your homeowner’s insurance policy. Read more about how solar panels stand up to hail.

The cost per watt is variable and depends on specific conditions like system size. Generally, the smaller the system is the higher the cost per watt will be. Larger systems have a higher package price but a lower cost per watt. Large, national solar companies will often tout a very low cost per watt that isn’t sustainable from a business perspective, and this is what contributes to them going out of business. Namaste Solar has been a local Colorado solar installer for over 20 years, and our business practices, including honest sales practices, are built to last another 20 years.

You’ll have 24/7 access to a monitoring app included with your installation. This app is where you can see all the vital signs of your system and power production in real-time. Namaste Solar does not monitor home solar systems, so we recommend you check your monitoring app regularly.

Solar increases your home value by an average of 4.1% and homes with solar energy systems often sell faster and at higher values. Solar panels are an attractive feature for environmentally conscious buyers and buyers looking to reduce long-term energy costs. To get tips on buying and selling a home with solar panels, check out this blog.

No, solar-only systems do not power your home during an outage. To protect the grid and workers working on down lines, your solar system will shut off when the grid is down to prevent electricity from flowing to the grid. When you install solar + battery backup, your home will stay powered in the event of a grid outage.

The solar industry has been plagued with low-quality installers who sell the largest systems possible, or even systems with low production due to shading or roof orientation, even if that’s not advantageous to the customer. To learn about these solar scams and to learn how to avoid them, check out this blog. Namaste Solar is an employee-owned cooperative and a Certified B Corporation. We’re not only transforming energy; we’re transforming business.

Colorado passed legislation that strongly favors solar energy and makes it illegal for HOAs to outright prohibit solar panel installation on private property. However, they can enforce reasonable aesthetic and safety rules, as long as these restrictions don’t increase costs by over 10% or decrease performance by more than 10%.

Namaste Solar includes a ten year workmanship warranty. The solar panels include a 30 year production warranty and a 25 year product warranty on the physical parts. The inverter warranty varies based on what inverter you choose but can range from 12 to 25 years.

Very little, if any. Solar panels are relatively lightweight, so there are rarely any structural modifications required. Conduit and wire must be installed from the solar panels to the electrical service panel. Typical installations take only 1–3 days with only 1 hour without power.

Not typically. Our designers will evaluate your main breaker panel and service size prior to designing your solar array, though, and let you know if a main panel upgrade is required.

Net metering allows you to send excess energy generated by your solar panels back to the grid, offsetting the power you use from the utility company. This program can further reduce your electricity bills, helping you maximize savings.

You can “future-proof” your solar installation by installing a system that offsets more than 100% of your needs if possible. Or, you can add a system expansion later on when those electric needs increase.

If your energy needs grow, additional panels or battery storage can be added to your existing setup.

Contact Namaste Solar for a free, no-obligation quote for a solar energy system. Our team is non-commissioned and our model is based on transparency and honest advice. We’ll create a customized design to help you transition to clean energy with confidence.

In most cases, no. Rain and snow naturally remove most dirt and dust from solar panels. The small production gains from cleaning rarely justify the cost or safety risks associated with accessing your roof.

Coverage varies by insurance provider and policy. Contact your insurance company to confirm what types of solar system damage or repairs are covered and whether additional coverage is needed.

Your monitoring app shows how much electricity your solar system produces. Depending on your utility and bill format, your bill may show how much electricity your home receives from the grid and how much excess solar energy is sent back.

These numbers may not match because your home uses some solar electricity as it is produced. Bill formats and solar credit structures also vary by utility, so look for sections labeled energy delivered, energy received, or net usage. Learn more about your Xcel Energy bill with solar here.

A higher utility bill does not always mean your solar system has stopped working. Your bill can change because of increased electricity use, seasonal production, weather, billing-period length, utility rate increases, or time-of-use rates.

Start by comparing your solar production in the monitoring app with your electricity use and utility bill for the same period. If your system shows no production or a sustained, unexplained decline, submit a service request.

Animal guard can help discourage birds, rodents, and other small animals from nesting beneath solar panels, but it cannot guarantee that animals will never access the area.

If you notice animal activity or damaged animal guard, submit a service request so our team can evaluate the situation. Damage caused by animals is generally not covered by equipment or workmanship warranties. You may inquire with your homeowners insurance to see if they offer coverage for this type of damage.

Snow guards can help slow and break up snow as it slides from solar panels, reducing the impact on walkways, landscaping, vehicles, and other areas below the roof.

Submit a service request if you would like an estimate for adding snow guards to your solar array

Many monitoring and equipment issues can be investigated using the support resources provided by your system’s manufacturer. Start by identifying the brand of your inverter, monitoring system, or battery.

Enphase: Visit the Enphase Support Center for help with monitoring, Gateway communication, microinverter alerts, and other system issues.

SolarEdge: Visit SolarEdge’s system owner support resources for monitoring, communication, inverter alerts, and error messages.

Tesla: Visit Tesla’s solar troubleshooting resources for help with solar production, app communication, and Powerwall-related issues.

If the manufacturer’s guidance does not resolve the issue, submit a service request so our team can determine the next step.

Rooftop systems are a cost-effective way to benefit from solar, and carports or ground-mounts can be an attractive option, too. Our team will help create a proposal for you that maximizes your ROI and utilizes the space on your property to best achieve your goals.

Yes, you can still benefit from solar if you have a split-incentive situation. Fortunately, there are two common strategies that bring value from reduced utility bills to both tenants and owners. Learn more about Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing (C-PACE)and “green lease” language or triple net lease systems.

This varies depending on your electricity usage, building size, and other goals. The best way to find out what system size is ideal for your business is to reach out to our team. They are non-commissioned and will give you straightforward advice.

Yes, commercial customers can take advantage of utility and tax incentives. Learn more about what is available specifically for your project by reaching out to our non-commissioned sales advisors.

A typical commercial solar installation will see an improvement in NOI and an increase in property value. Additionally, this typical system will see a payback period ranging from 6 to 9 years, frequently with a double-digit IRR.

Solar is a great way to help reach sustainability goals. There are multiple ways to reduce your EUI and installing solar to offset some (or all) of your energy consumption is one with a significant impact to both EUI and your bottom line.

Installation is minimally disruptive to your organization. The most disruptive part of the installation process is system interconnection, when facility power must be shutdown to safely perform the work. This is a 3-6 hour process, and we are accustomed to completing this work outside your typical business hours to minimize any impact. Our installation crews and electricians are highly professional and respectful, always putting safety and quality first. We have installed commercial solar systems on schools, churches, daycares, medical facilities, manufacturing facilities, and more.

Equipment warranties vary, and here is what you can expect from each major component:

• • Modules 25-30 year linear power output warranty and 10-12 year product warranty
  • Inverters: 10-25 years
  • Racking: 25 years
  • Namaste Solar also provides a 2-year workmanship warranty that covers any defects from improper installation, as well as preventative operations and maintenance (O&M) during that same timeframe.

Panels and inverters each come with their own warranty. If the replacement occurs under warranty, Namaste Solar will work with the manufacturer to submit a claim on your behalf and receive a replacement unit at no cost to you. The labor is billable work. Beyond our included preventative maintenance plan, our team is available for service needs, and we also offer ongoing O&M agreements to provide peace of mind.

The solar system will remain with the building, as there will be an interconnection agreement with the utility. Because the solar system increases a property’s Net Operating Income, however, you should be able to sell your building at a higher price. For example, a solar system on a 20,000 square foot roof will increase NOI by $25,000 on average.

Included items vary per site but commonly include preventative maintenance visits and reports, UAS infrared inspections, and monitoring services. Additional items vary per site and can be part of any ongoing agreement or provided at additional cost with customer approval.

We are the go-to solar O&M provider for over 300 MW of solar across more than 500 sites, and we have serviced systems ranging from 10 kW to 10 MW. Our customers include independent power producers, asset managers, municipalities, property managers, small businesses, school districts, developers and more. Our years of experience enable us to troubleshoot your systems quickly and efficiently to save you time and money.

We are nationally recognized experts in solar PV system technology. Our O&M technicians have extensive experience with PV in commercial environments, are recognized by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as Certified PV Installation Professionals, have OSHA and NFPA 70E certifications, and are trained and certified on a wide variety of inverter maintenance requirements. They are also trained in all aspects of photovoltaic technology, including technical design, project management, installation, system monitoring (DAS), and related technologies.

If the power goes out, your home battery backup will seamlessly kick in to power your home. You won’t even notice the switch, and clocks won’t even reset. Most home battery backup systems are not designed to support 100% of your home’s consumption when the grid is down but rather keep “essential” items online, such as your fridge, freezer, lights, and internet. Managing your electrical usage during an outage will extend the time your battery can provide backup power.

This is up to you. More batteries will provide backup power for the whole home while fewer batteries will power the essentials. Our sales advisors can help you decide which is best for you and quote you for different scenarios.

Not typically. Our designers will evaluate your main breaker panel and wiring prior to designing the home battery backup, though, and let you know if any electrical upgrades are required.

You can charge your battery from your solar system and the grid, and your battery settings will dictate how you can export that stored energy back to the grid.

With battery storage, you can use the energy that your solar system generates during the day to charge your battery(s). Then, discharge that energy to power your home when the grid electricity is the most expensive during peak hours.

Colorado is a pro-solar state and there are frequently state and local incentives available. The incentives are often changing, but our local team will make sure you get the most incentives available for your system. To get a complete breakdown of home battery rebates, check out this blog.

Very little. Similar to solar panel maintenance, consistent monitoring is the biggest piece you’re responsible for.

The Enphase 5P batteries are the first microinverter-based storage system to meet the performance criteria of UL 9540A – a unit-level test for thermal runaway fire propagation protection in residential indoor wall-mounted systems. And the Tesla Powerwall 3 has safer battery chemistry than its predecessor.

Batteries are designed to be integrated seamlessly which makes future expansion a breeze.

Yes, you can install a stand-alone battery system, even without a solar system. Tesla Powerwall 3’s also work with all inverter infrastructure, so they’re retrofittable to almost any solar system.

All solar systems installed by Namaste Solar are grid-tied. This means that your solar panels and home battery are connected to the local utility grid. Being grid-tied allows your system to seamlessly integrate with the local power grid when needed.

Namaste Solar is a Certified B Corporation, 100% employee-owned, and deeply committed to sustainability and community impact. Namaste Solar prioritizes transparency, customer satisfaction, and social responsibility. On top of that, Namaste Solar has been in business since 2005. Our high-quality installations and the way we practice business have led to our stellar reviews and frequent recognition here in Colorado.

Namaste Solar was founded on February 2^nd, 2005.

Namaste Solar only employs people who live in Colorado. And we only install solar systems – both residential and commercial – and home battery backup in Colorado.

Our intention is to share the entire experience of small business ownership; not just rewards (profits) and control, but also risks (losses) and responsibilities, regardless of job role or title. We firmly believe this business model translates to better designs, installations, and customer experiences. As co-owners of the company, we all bring an ownership mentality to everything we do, as well as a level of personal accountability that our customers find refreshing in the world of contracting.

Certified B Corporations must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Unlike traditional corporations, B Corporations are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, communities, consumers, and environment. For Namaste Solar, success is measured not only in profits, but also in how the company benefits its stakeholders and the people on Earth.

Yes, Namaste Solar is a founding member of the Amicus Solar Cooperative. The Amicus Solar Cooperative is made up of 80+ solar companies across almost every US state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Amicus members pool together their buying power, allowing these locally owned and independently operated companies to compete against national companies. In addition, Amicus members share best practices and information to improve their operations and increase the value they are able to offer customers.