SOLARIZED HOME

User: gerrifalco@yahoo.com

Vendor: None

Action: 3745 - Rooftop solar

We took part in the "Solarize Swampscott/Salem" in 2012 to 2014 and put solar panels on our 100+ year old house in 2014.  RealGood Solar was the installer.  We got quotes from other installers, but decided to go with RealGood Solar because it was the installer that the Swampscott/Salem program suggested and we were satified with their work.  We decided to lease the panels from SunRun for 20 years (we are now in the 11th year).  The cost was less to lease the panels than owning them and the estimated time for recouping our costs was about 2-3 years.  However, SunRun gave us back almost half fo the installation cost in the first year, so it took only 1.5 years to recoup the cost.  At the time of installation, we could only put 17 panels on the roof, for 95% of the electric use in the home.  The panels have been generating power for us pretty reliably and we are happy with them.  Since we heated the house with oil and the water heater and cooking stove were both gas powered, only 17 solar panels were put on the roof.  We would recommend SunRun to others for solar panels.