With frequent fires and Santa Ana winds setting California ablaze we are in desperate need of emergency power supplies. The fires are coming dangerously close to our sources of electricity and threatening grid shut downs.
2 million Californians were left without power last week and this week that number could get even bigger. It is anticipated that up to 3 million California residents will be without power due to the fires north of LA and the Bay Area.
Having solar on your roof paired with energy storage gives you the freedom to have electricity in the event of an energy crisis or natural disaster.
Homeowners or tenants in HOAs, apartment dwellers and condo owners are often discouraged from energy upgrades like solar panels, Plug-In Vehicle charging, LED lighting and energy storage. With a little research, anyone can take steps towards energy independence.
California’s “Solar Rights Act” defends your right to produce power in California. The HOA may restrict, deny or challenge solar installations, but there is a path to follow to win:
1. Find a neighbor that installed solar power or filed an application with the HOA to install solar power, and ask them about their experience. (If there are no previous applications, it may be helpful to find a neighbor that installed EV charging, solar water heating, energy storage and/or LED lighting.)
2. Request and review the HOA rules and regulations regarding solar power systems.
>Are there any covenants that apply to solar photovoltaic energy systems?
>>If there is a restrictive covenant, is it specific (mentions solar energy systems) or generic?
>Is an Architectural Review Committee involved?
>>Do they have a specific set of criteria to evaluate solar energy systems?
>Is the HOA a public entity?
3. Request HOA permission to install, in writing, by submitting the solar electrical design permit application package to the HOA and wait for response 45 days.
4.
Once approved, carefully read any agreements that the HOA requires as a
condition of permission to install. (i.e., “Maintenance/Indemnity
Agreement”).
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5. Negotiate the terms of an agreement or sign the agreement.
6. Installation company submits design drawings to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (permit office).
7. System is installed.
Makello and Green Energy EPC; no roof leaks, no problems!
The HOA can advise you where to put your solar power, so long as it does not increase the cost to a certain extent, however they cannot stop you from getting solar.
The HOA can influence your decision about the color of the modules or the trim, or the height of the array over the roof, or the roofing method, or they may require a trim strip at the front or the sides of the array to enhance the aesthetics in keeping with the aesthetics in the community.
The law provides the ability to install solar despite an HOA not wanting it. See California Civil Codes 714 and new for 2018 714.1:
“b) An association shall not: (1) Establish a general policy prohibiting the installation or use of a rooftop solar energy system for household purposes on the roof of the building in which the owner resides, or a garage or carport adjacent to the building that has been assigned to the owner for exclusive use.
Book an appointment to receive Makello’s Ethical Energy Savings Report, which is the result of a detailed trade-off study of discount utility rates, grants, rebates, tax credits, and equipment options, to determine the fastest payback and highest return on investment to meet your home, business and vehicle energy needs.
The fee for the Ethical Energy Savings Report is refundable (less the 3rd-Party $15 utility data access charge) or credited towards our installation services, after you attend the presentation meeting and complete a 5 minute survey after permission to operate.
Includes up to 5 hours research by the Makello team, and 1 hour Q&A, by Makello’s Ethical Energy Efficiency Expert.
(2) Require approval by a vote of members owning separate interests in the common interest development, including that specified by Section 4600, for installation of a solar energy system for household purposes on the roof of the building in which the owner resides, or a garage or carport adjacent to the building that has been assigned to the owner for exclusive use.”
California’s Solar Rights Act protects your interests in energy efficiency upgrades. The recommended path is to complete the system design drawings and submit them to the HOA, thus starting a 45 day review period. Until a tenant submits the drawings to the HOA, the HOA may continue to delay the project indefinitely, with exploratory meetings, changes of plans, excuses, misinformation, etc.
California AB2180 of 2008 provided even more consumer protections under the Civil Code by providing that any homeowners’ association that is not a public entity that willfully violates the Solar Rights Act must pay the solar system owner a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000. AB 2180 further provides that the approval or denial of any application submitted to authorize the installation of a system must be made in writing within 60 days. If the application is not denied within 60 days it will be deemed approved unless the delay is the result of a reasonable request for additional information.”
If you find that the HOA rules and regulations are in conflict with provisions in California Solar Right’s Act, then see below for a draft of a letter to the HOA, to include with your submission:
The purpose of this letter is to inform the HOA of relevant laws, policies, and regulations that govern the installation of solar energy systems in California, and to describe the potential repercussions for improper denial of solar projects. California’s Solar Rights Act protects the homeowner and tenant’s rights to energy efficiency upgrades by limiting covenants, conditions, and restrictions on solar installations, and by requiring timely review. HOAs are prohibiting from:
(1) prohibiting outright installation of solar energy systems, (2) imposing restrictions that significantly increase the cost of installation, (3) imposing restrictions that significantly reduce the efficiency of a system.
(1) Establish a
general policy prohibiting the installation or use of a rooftop solar
energy system for household purposes on the roof of the building in
which the owner resides, or a garage or carport adjacent to the building
that has been assigned to the owner for exclusive use.
(2)
Require approval by a vote of members owning separate interests in the
common interest development, including that specified by Section 4600,
for installation of a solar energy system for household purposes on the
roof of the building in which the owner resides, or a garage or carport
adjacent to the building that has been assigned to the owner for
exclusive use.
California Civil Code consumer protections provides that:
(1) any
homeowners’ association that is not a public entity that willfully
violates the Solar Rights Act must pay the solar system owner a civil
penalty not to exceed $1,000. (2)
the approval or denial of any application submitted to authorize the
installation of a system must be made in writing within 45 days. If the
application is not denied within 45 days it will be deemed approved
unless the delay is the result of a reasonable request for additional
information.
Examples of suspicious clauses in a Maintenance/Indemnity Agreement, that you may want REMOVED or MODIFIED before signing, because they leave the original HOA homeowner on the hook for repair costs indefinitely, even after the system is removed, even after the property is sold to future HOA homeowners:
F. The parties agree and acknowledge that installation, use and/or maintenance of the Photovoltaic Solar System by the Owner will, or may, cause additional and/or increase maintenance or repair burdens or costs on the Association, may adversely affect or impair any roof or other warranties which the Association has or may have been able to obtain, and cause damage or the potential for damage to common area, the extend and/or potential for which cannot readily be determined. The Parties therefore agree that the entire burden of the cost of all future maintenance, repair, and replacement relating to the Photovoltaic Solar System and to common area affected by the Photovoltaic Solar System, shall be borne by the Owner.
H. Owner and Association intend that this Covenant be made and entered into pursuant to the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1468, and that this Covenant shall run with the land of Owner and that it shall be binding upon each successive owner of the Subject Property during their ownership of any portion of the land affected hereby, and upon each person having any interest in the land derived through any owner thereof.
Book a FREE 15 minute appointment to: 1) Find out how Makello can help you. 2) Discuss your energy needs. 3) Get a FREE Energy Savings Estimate.
Examples of clauses in a Maintenance/Indemnity Agreement, that you may want INCLUDED before signing:
(F)
Association has approved Owner’s Application on certain terms and
conditions including that Owner enter into the following Agreement;
TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT This Agreement shall only terminate if any of the following occurs:
A.
Alteration/Destruction. This Agreement shall automatically terminate if
the existing structure, which is legally described in Exhibit “A,” is
removed or destroyed. This Agreement shall also automatically terminate
if the Solar Energy System is removed from the Residence and after the
time period under which any legal claims may be brought relating to the
installation, maintenance and removal of the Solar Energy System.
B.
Mutual Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate upon mutual agreement
between Association and Owner or Owner’s successors in interest. For the
purpose of this Agreement, the term “Owner” shall mean the
then-existing owner of the property set forth in Exhibit “A.”
CONVEYANCE OF TITLE In the event Owner conveys title of the property described in Exhibit “A,” this Agreement shall automatically transfer to the new owner and all subsequent owners, and current Owner shall have no further responsibility under this Agreement. For more information, visit www.cleantechlaw.com James Birkelund, jbirkelund@cleantechlaw.com Jack Jacobs, jjacobs@cleantechlaw.com
If you are interested in learning more about Makello, click on the videos below.
Thank you everyone, for attending North County Climate Change Alliance’s “What to Know About Plug-In Vehicles” presentation at Vista Library! It was an honor for me to have all of you as my audience and I hope you enjoy my presentation as well as the wonderful Plug-In Vehicles we brought.
Book a FREE 15 minute appointment to: 1) Find out how Makello can help you. 2) Discuss your energy needs. 3) Get a FREE Energy Savings Estimate.
Maybe you got a chance to see some of these great Plug-In Vehicles on display:
Jaguar I-Pace
Kuberg E-Motorcycle
Honda Clarity
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai Ioniq
Fiat 500 EV
Nissan Leaf
Chevrolet Bolt
Chevrolet Volt
MINI Countryman Plug-In
Toyota Prius Prime
Pedego E-Bikes
Tesla Model 3
For the 80 attendees, and for those of you that couldn’t make it to the event, you can view or download the slides below as well. Soon you will be able to watch the entire presentation on Makello’s YouTube channel.
For the 80 attendees, and for those of you that couldn’t make it to the event, you can watch the entire presentation on Makello’s YouTube channel.
Are you ready to save money on solar power, EV charging or Energy Storage? Get an instant quote from Makello!
If you like the slides, you can also view or download them below.
A big thank you to North County Climate Change Alliance for making this amazing event happened! We look forward to participating in more great events from NCCCA.
Attendees packed the room for the San Diego 350.org chapter seeking volunteers ready to tackle climate change with direct action! You are welcome to become a part of the movement for a Green New Deal that aims to rebuild America and fulfill our nation’s promise, by creating jobs and restoring our moral compass, with integrity, for the health of the environment and the common good.
The dire report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that the world must utterly transform its energy systems in the next decade or risk ecological and social disaster. It is time to Raise The Alarm. 350.org is launching a campaign of direct actions to effect real change and get media attention and need YOU to make it happen!
Many of our political leaders are in denial and unwilling to show leadership on climate change. SanDiego350 organizes actions that will bring this issue to the fore. The kickoff meeting on February 23 planned for direct actions in our county that will demand the attention of those who can do the most to make a difference.
We use only the highest efficiency and highest quality LG 335w – 400w and Panasonic 325w-335w modules.
The difference between the highest quality and the lowest quality modules is a few pennies per watt in system cost, but the difference in utility cost savings is much greater over time. Why would you want anything but the best?
Book a FREE 15 minute appointment to: 1) Find out how Makello can help you. 2) Discuss your energy needs. 3) Get a FREE Energy Savings Estimate.
Using the latest module technology has advantages. Highest efficiency modules degrade slower and produce more power, resulting in a lower utility electric bill.
Lower efficiency modules occupy a larger area on the roof, reducing future expansion options, and they require more flashings, standoffs and maintenance to wash.
We use SolarEdge, SMA, or Enphase inverters because our customers experience excellent performance and we receive excellent technical support. Enphase leads the industry with a 25 year warranty. SMA and SolarEdge have extend warranties up to 20 years. It rarely happens, but if there is an equipment failure, you’re covered. Green Energy EPC’s workmanship warranty is 20 years and we’ll be glad to facilitate warranty service. Any solar installer is familiar with Enphase, SMA and SolarEdge, so it can easily be serviced beyond the warranty.
Your roof could leak from a poor quality solar installation
The solar industry is in extreme competition with narrow margins. Companies cut corners in workmanship quality and balance of system, to match lowest bids, while salespeople oversize systems to maximize commissions. Whether you buy too much, or compromise the waterproofing to get to the lowest cost/watt, either way, you’re all wet. Makello has a better way.
Optimal Cost Savings is a new concept for the solar industry. The goal of 100% solar production vs use is an outdated strategy that does not address the current and future Time-Of-Use utility rates and the Net Energy Metering agreement with the utility.
Are you ready to save money on solar power, EV charging or Energy Storage? Get an instant quote from Makello!
Makello’s Optimal Cost Savings is based on how you use power.
In San Diego, utility electric cost savings is dependent on the time of day that power is produced and consumed. Since every home has a unique pattern of utility electric use, an effective cost savings strategy must match solar production and energy storage to the historical and projected time-of-use interval data. A detailed trade-off study of available site orientations and equipment options is necessary to identify the incremental costs and return on investment.
Makello’s Energy Analysis determines the optimal system for fastest payback, lowest cost and highest quality. In almost all cases, the optimal sized solar system is much smaller and less expensive than you would expect.
Before you buy, ask yourself:
Does a large system size change the home aesthetics? Can I afford the upfront costs? Will I relocate before the loan or lease ends? Will the new home buyer value the energy production?
Have I received a proposal that offers alternative sizes and orientations to produce and store power for when I use it? Has anyone provided an analysis which identifies the incremental cost factor, payback and return on investment for each additional module greater than optimal?
Would I trust a contractor or subcontractor, without proof of workmanship quality on my installation, knowing that the permit inspection does not include key areas on or under the roof, or below the array, where unseen conditions could void manufacturer warranties, compromise the roof structural integrity, or risk fire or roof leak, possibly years later?
Makello protects your home from potential roof leaks.
Below are 4 topics to teach you how unethical solar installers can cut-corners where the homeowner and the permit inspector won’t see it, in order to lower the bid price.
Poor quality installation techniques can only save money in the short term. Eventually, the home repairs for potential water leak damage will outweigh any cost savings.
Are you ready to save money on solar power, EV charging or Energy Storage? Get an instant quote from Makello!
Topic 1) Waterproofing – “Lag bolts in the center of rafters”. For a cement tile roof, our process takes 1 installation team 2 days to complete and the competition does 2 installs per day with 1 team.
If we have access to the attic and the height of the attic ceiling is more than 36” tall, then we will install the lag bolts from the inside the attic. That way we know that each lag bolt is securely fixed in the center of the rafter, and did not miss the rafter or split out the side. Our installation is durable to last a lifetime to protect the home and solar PV system from damage.
Other companies install lag bolts from the top of the roof; they do a hammer test on the roof to find a rafter, or they look at the eaves to see one end of the rafter, then they write marks on the roof, chalk a line and drill every 24” or 18” on center, hoping that they hit most of the rafters. Even if an installer does hit a rafter, how will they know if they split the side of the rafter, which would compromise the structural integrity of the entire roof and cause it to sag over time? Or if they miss the rafter, then the 3.5” lagbolt will be sticking 3” out of the plywood; it might feel solid, but then when the wind comes it will shake the solar array and move the lag bolt up and down, widening the lag bolt hole and break the sealant caulking compound, eventually causing a drip leak, wood rot and termite problems, or worse, if a strong wind comes it could pull the entire solar array off of the roof!
Topic 2) Waterproofing – “Sealant properly applied and cured” If the industry top rated waterproofing sealant is misapplied or if the installer does not allow adequate time to cure before installing the solar PV arrays, you can expect water leak problems in the future.
Our exclusive solar panel installer, Green Energy EPC does the job right. After we install the lag bolts in the center of the rafters, we add the standoffs, flashing and sealant. The sealant requires 24 hours to cure properly if the weather is cool or moist. On dry and hot days it can cure faster, but at the least, it should take 4 or 5 hours minimum to form a continuous bond seal between the rafter & lag bolt, lag bolt & flashing, flashing and tar-paper. Green Energy EPC applies the M1 sealant properly in the required locations, and goes even beyond what is required, by placing 2 beads of sealant in a “n” or upside-down “U” shape on the flashing above the standoff, higher up on the roof, so that even if water is running towards where the flashing and standoff meet, it will be diverted away from the area by the “n” and around the area for many years to come. After the sealant is applied, we leave the area for several hours to 24 hours, to allow the sealant proper time to cure before adding the rails and modules. The care and process takes extra time, and an extra day to roll the truck and bring back the crew, but it is worth it. We sleep well on rainy nights knowing the solar roof integration will be water safe.
Book a FREE 15 minute appointment to: 1) Find out how Makello can help you. 2) Discuss your energy needs. 3) Get a FREE Energy Savings Estimate.
Other companies are in a big hurry, with 1 team doing 2 installs in 1 day. They routinely skip the sealant application or misapply the sealant so that it does not form a continuous bond. They do not allow the sealant proper time to cure; they add the rails and modules, tighten the nuts, balance the array, tighten the nuts some more, move modules around and rebalance to make it square – all this activity is breaking the sealant bond that has not cured, introducing gaps which act as a channel for the water to drip inside the structure, eventually rotting the wood and tar paper, inviting termites to cause more damage.
Topic 3) Warranty: The condition of the roof, underlayment and supporting structure should be of sufficient condition to outlast the 25 year solar panels warranty.
A solar panel system installed securely and properly will last 25 – 30 years or longer. If the condition of the roof, under-layment and supporting structure is questionable or poor at the time of installation, the roof might need to be replaced during the solar panel 25 year warranty period.
Many solar companies and salespeople are willing to take the sale and cash the check, knowing that that condition of the site is insufficient to maintain the home waterproofing, and by the time the roof has a leak, they will be long gone.
Green Energy EPC inspects the condition of the roof and is honest with the owner about the longevity and expectations. We will not install solar panels on a poor quality roof, if the tiles are worn through, or if the tar paper is torn, aged or missing. Honesty and integrity is at the core of our quality installation. We would rather walk away from a deal to avoid potential problems and risks. It is the ethical way of doing business. Sam Syed, President of Green Energy EPC teaches the ethics of solar panel installation and solar panel sales at our NABCEP accredited classes at Mira Costa College and at Cuyamaca College.
Topic 4) Waterproofing – “Flashing requires careful shimming of the tiles in the row above”.
When installing roof flashing, it is imperative to take your time and not be in a hurry. The proper way to insert a flashing is to use pry bars to carefully lift up the shingles higher on the roof, above the place where the flashing will be installed. Each shingle or tile section is held to the roof by nails that penetrate the tar paper and plywood. If a tile is moved too quickly, the nail is pulled out of the hole, leaving an entry point for rain to drip through the roof. If a tile is shimmed slowly, the nail end will remain in the hole and can be tapped back into place, blocking water penetration. In any case, if a nail is removed, it must be filled with sealant.
Solar installation companies that are in a hurry are likely to shim the tiles out too quickly and also to fail to fill the nail holes with sealant. Eventually the water will find it’s way to the drip hole, the wood will rot and cause more headaches for the homeowner.
If you are considering solar for your home or business, be sure that it will be installed properly to get the most out of your system. Contact us for a FREE Energy Analysis and piece of mind for a quality installation. Check out the videos below to find out more about what Makello is about.
There are 10 ways that Makello protects your home where other companies have leaks.
How does a homeowner build superior quality workmanship into the solar panel bidding process, to protect the home from the risk of water leak, accidental injury, electrical shock and fire hazards?
Makello documents the site survey and installation techniques with step by step photos and videos. Proof of quality workmanship is a “Buyer’s Right”.
Are you ready to save money on solar power, EV charging or Energy Storage? Get an instant quote from Makello!
Without context about the actual installation process and installer training for a specific installation, quality talk means very little. If an installer doesn’t have a system to document and identify quality workmanship, a homeowner may not realize the system was installed improperly until years later in the frantic search for a bucket to catch the drips, or a bucket to put out a fire.
At the opening of a recent public lecture at the Vista library in San Diego, I asked a small audience, “How many of you had solar panels installed at your home or business in the last 3 years?” Approximately half of the room responded. I instructed the audience, “Keep your hands up if you experienced a roof leak under the solar panels during recent heavy rains”. About half of the hands remained raised. It was a shocking moment for me, because Makello’s exclusive solar PV installer, Green Energy EPC, has not had any leaks in many 100s of installations in San Diego. However, the guests at my lecture, all of whom were not Green Energy EPC installed solar panel customers, related very different results and experiences.
To my surprise, in the moments that followed, the audience took control of the lecture and started naming names of the installer companies involved. We won’t bad-mouth the competition, but I can tell you that the brands named are easily recognizable to all, including some of the biggest local, regional and national solar installers in the San Diego market. How is this possible, given that many of the companies identified have 4-Star average ratings on Yelp!, Angie’s List and other review websites? How is this possible, given that the Authority Having Jurisdiction passed the permit inspection in each case? The answer is quite simple- once you understand that any company can cut quality where the homeowner and the permit inspector won’t see it, to lower their costs and offer a lower price.
One of the Dirty Little Secrets of the Solar Industry is that the permit inspector is not responsible to inspect the quality workmanship in the attic, under the array, in the flashing and sealant waterproofing, in the wiring, at the connections, in the electric panel, or in the conduit. The burden then falls on the homeowner to climb ladders, scale rooftops, open up electrical panels and hardware, or shimmy on their belly in attics or crawl spaces. To do this inspection thoroughly after installation is difficult, costly and impractical.
Can you name any electrical appliance, other than solar panels, that can work uninterrupted, for 30 years or longer?
Long term power production and cost savings is only part of the bigger picture. For example, how much do you save with solar if a poor quality installation causes a roof leak?
A high quality installation doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with a NABCEP training curriculum, in the field mentorship, leadership that is reluctant to relinquish control or oversight until the trainee demonstrates excellence, and pledges to uphold highest standards in integrity, honesty and ethics.
There has to be a clear process and expectations, with strict adherence to safety procedures and protocols. There has to be metrics, full-disclosure documentation, and follow through on all commitments.
Any salesperson can say that they have highest quality. How will you know the difference? Read our guides to see for yourself:
Recently, upon arrival at a customer’s home in Valley Center, I declared I knew of a solution to his $24,000/year electric bill, that costs less than $2,000, and wouldn’t require trenching, electric panel upgrades or a SDGE service upgrade.
Judging by his reaction, I knew we had something big…
There was no sales gimmicks involved. Other companies were bidding $45K – $55K for his job. How could we do it for $2K? The answer comes from years of industry knowledge and experiences. I call it: “Makello”, as in “Make it low”, or “make your energy bills as low as possible, for as little investment as possible”.
The Mobile Energy Ecosystem provides power to food vendors at Qualcomm Stadium
Wipomo’s Mobile Energy Ecosystem provided off-grid solar power to the Food Truck vendors at the Qualcomm Stadium Swap Meet, while the crowds of visitors enjoyed their meals without the noisy gas generator emissions.
Wipomo’s Mobile Energy Ecosystem provided off-grid solar power to the Food Truck vendors at the Qualcomm Stadium Swap Meet, while the crowds of visitors enjoyed their meals without the noisy gas generator emissions.
During the day, while the sun was shining, the sun provided power to the food truck vendors. After the sun went down, the on-board batteries provided the stored solar energy. When the batteries were depleted, electric vehicles exported power through the micro-grid to keep the party going.
Solar Rights Act & Solar Shading Act: You have the right to produce power from renewable energy, HOA approcved, protects your view and the value of your home or business property and community
In my neighborhood, in Cardiff By-The-Sea, Californa, the community of single story homes are being replaced by larger 2 and 3 story mansions with imported high water use vegetation. If the character of the neighborhood is changing, what can you do about it?
You can block a permit or remove a tree if the proposed building or planting shades your solar panels during the peak production hours.
The Solar Rights Act can protect you IF you make an agreement with your neighbor ahead of time, for a solar easement. If the neighbor sells the house, the solar easement continues.
The Solar Shading Act can protect you IF your solar panel installation is shading during the peak production hours from plantings that we installed AFTER your solar panel was installed.”
By eliminating their energy bills, the average San Diego family can save enough money to put a child through college. We’re talking about roughly $250,000 over the lifetime of the system.
