Residential Solar Panels 101
Solar Panels 101 – How Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Cells Works
Solar panels create energy by absorbing photons from sunlight. The photons react with the photoelectric material in the solar modules, knocking electrons. These electrons are captured in the form of a direct electrical current, creating power for your home.
Convert Sunlight to Energy
This direct current generated by a photovoltaic (PV) module has to go through another step before it can be used to power your home. The current is run through a device called an inverter (or power converter) which converts the direct current (DC) from the solar modules to alternating current (AC), which can be used in your home and distributed to the utility grid. During this process, 14-18% of the energy produced by the panels is lost.
Distribute Energy to your home
After being converted to alternating current, power travels from the inverter to your electrical service panel (your breaker box). The power from the electrical panel is then distributed to any electrical loads in your home.
Run your Meter Backwards
When excess power is produced by the solar panels system, the power will flow into the grid through your electric meter. This will cause your meter to run backward gaining you a credit with the utility company.
Net Metering
The net metering legislation states that the utility company must credit you at retail rates (the same rate they would have charged you). Therefore, time of use customers will be credited peak rates for power fed into the grid during peak hours.
What Makes a House Suitable for Solar Panels?
There are several factors that determine how suitable a home is for solar panels:
- The number of sun hours received by your geographical location. Also known as solar isolation, this is the amount of sunlight that a geographical location receives in a typical year.
- The amount of shading received by your roof during peak production hours. Less is better. Tall structures (other homes or buildings, trees, telephone poles, etc.) can restrict the amount of sunlight that reaches an installed solar panel. The shade of those other structures create can reduce the effectiveness of your solar panels system.
- Available roof or ground area for the solar panels system. A solar panels system requires space for installation.
300+ 5-Star Reviews
MariElena Santana
16:25 22 Oct 21
Great service by Carlos & Michel!!
Gregory Sledovker
14:58 15 Oct 21
Juozas Vailionis
20:16 14 Oct 21
Andrea Levine
18:51 12 Oct 21
Very happy with the installation. Installation crew and Jesus answered all my questions.
Kala G
16:33 27 Sep 21
The Installers David, Alejandro and Project manager Daniel weâre all very professional and answered any and all questions we had regarding the instillation. The windows look amazing and we are so happy we used this company. I highly recommend this company.
Susana Lazaro
16:05 24 Sep 21
I am a very capricious person and did my homework really good, got over 7 estimates, top window & door companies. Tedious, but that is how I work specially if it concerns my money. Honestly, this was not the lowest in price, however, quality, promptness, service, material and warranty, yes it was.I am very happy and satisfied with the work already done, we still have a couple of more "add on" I requested, which they accommodated without any issues.The installers - now this is a totally different subject. I have never seen neater and more precise work than what these 2 guys provided me with, I don't think you will find in another company... "Greg & Brian". Detailed, punctual, cleanliness, exactitude, professionalism and always in a good and happy mood. They love what they do and they do it with pride. I commend them to their management.FSA, I highly recommend them.My Energy Consultant was Jay Cruz - very knowledgeable and his expertise is pleasing the customer with their needs and likes.My Project Manager - Yesenia Osorio, excellent, punctual, detailed and very professional.I, personally highly recommend them if you decide to follow my review.Be tedious like me and check the products out there, then you will see what I mean.By the way, I did all my windows in metal/aluminum. Vinyl I did not trust, but you can chose what is best for your taste, pocket & likes.
Jesi Longo
22:53 22 Sep 21
Excelente empresa!!! PAtricia me asesoro muy bien al momento de comprar mis ventanas!! Y el techo también.
Joan Reilly
19:24 10 Sep 21
Blanca Estrada
15:59 09 Sep 21
The gentleman that performed the work (Greg, Brian and Chris) were extremely professional, knowledgeable and clean. They installed impact Windows and sliding door. They are very meticulous and their work is pristine. They take a lot of pride in their work and protect the surfaces they are working on to minimize the dust. As a person with asthma and allergies, I very much appreciated this. The project manager, Jesus, also demonstrated much professionalism and knowledge about the project at hand. Lastly, the Richard Kerr, who came out to provide initial info and estimates blew me away with his knowledge on the products available. I highly recommend this company.
Rick Villegas
13:54 03 Sep 21
I was shopping around for quotes on impact windows for my Condo in Dania. I made an inquiry to this site and someone called me 5 mins later to set up an appointment the same day. They sent Manny Hernandez who gave a very informative presentation. I was blown away on how informed he was about everything and anything regarding impact windows. He has been in the business for many years. Their price was also reasonably compared to other quotes I've received. I would definitely recommend them to anyone of my family members or friends.
Byron Jones
13:57 02 Sep 21
Russell Family
16:33 01 Sep 21
Roger Wallerson
17:21 31 Aug 21
This is a very professional company from start to finish.I was kept informed every step of the way.The installers were very professional and clean up after themselves.The inspector Jess was very efficient and addressed all my concerns professionally.They did a splendid job,and I'm a satisfied customer.
Annalee Covin
15:08 27 Aug 21
Very happy with my installation. Jesus was great and answered all my questions. Very pleased with everyone involved.
Denise Allen
13:49 25 Aug 21
Great company - very professional from start to finish. Daniel was my sales rep -from the start he made me feel very comfortable he did not try to sell me service/products that I did not need or made promises just to get a sale. He was very knowledgeable and guided me through this entire process. The office staff was just as wonderful, kept me inform of delivery and installation and upon installation it was a very smooth process. Loving my new windows and doors. Totally exceeded my expectations.Thank you Daniel and your team.
Cristina Noury
13:14 05 Aug 21
We are very happy with our windows and doors from solar and air. thanks to the installers Greg Bryant and Chris . They were very professional and very meticulous with their work .it was a large job and they paid attention to every little detail and took their time to make sure everything was perfect.i 14 windows , two large sliding doors ,glass front door and cabana bathroom. Thanks a also to Dan the pm for coordinatingI would highly recommend this company .
Blanca Walker
19:58 01 Aug 21
I’m so looking forward to replacing the roof on my home. The sales rep Jonathan was very professional and informative regarding the job to be done on my roof... He explained to me the difference between the shingles, metal and tiles...
Helen Convis
16:21 29 Jul 21
I had all new impact windows and front door installed. What a great experience! Davie, the installer was the best. He was professional, meticulous and the finished product was amazing. The inspector Jess was also a great added bonus. She did a walk through each day to make sure everything was perfect. I would recommend this company to everyone!!
Ben Brandt
22:25 23 Jul 21
"Can’t say enough good things about Billy, Alejandro the installers and Daniel the project manager. I had a large job that the team handled professionally, and they can be counted on to go above and beyond to keep their customers happy.! Thank you to all three for their quality installation and hard work!"
FXRDOC1
16:04 22 Jul 21
Installer David and Project Manager Daniel did an excellent job of our door and window install Arrived on time. Meticulous attention to detail. Excellent followup and arranged all inspections. Would definitely recommend
Bernie Mejia
20:03 20 Jul 21
Billy y Alejandro trabajaron muy bien. Jesus respondió todas mis preguntas. Los recomiendo!
Buga2095
01:02 16 Jul 21
Alejandro David the installer / workman was excellent. He was prompt and worked extremely hard. His expertise and work was excellent.Daniel the project manager was always on top of things. His follow up and following through with his promises was right on target.The delivery crew of Dane and Mark was always on time snd kept my backyard clean and in excellent condition.Overall i was pleased with the professionalism of this company and crew ! Excellent , hopefully the staff sre well compensated.Gilford and Helen Brown
Pamela Ryan
18:38 15 Jul 21
This company has gone above and beyond for us. The initial installation was seamless, clean and the installers were very professional, polite and knowledgeable. We have the annual maintenance agreement with them and have called them a couple of times for small problems we should have known to take care of ourselves, like tablets in the pan every month. Both times the employees came out they were on time, polite, professional and very knowledgeable. They explained everything throughout the process. I would highly recommend Florida Solar Air to anyone.PS they also installed our impact windows and did the same great job.
Jeffrey Gualtieri
17:35 08 Jul 21
Great windows, great price. Work team was polite and professional. From the salesman, the worksite managers and the office staff are all awesome. I would highly recomend this business.
Carole Gelfand
12:55 06 Jul 21
I want to inform you of my great experience with your salesman Yoni. he was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about your product. Besides him speaking he was courteous and gave me the time to ask questions to help me make a decision. Yoni. is an asset to your company
Maggie Marcellus
19:18 01 Jul 21
I had a great experience with Florida Solar and Air for impact windows and door installation. Jesus was the project manager. He was very professional and courteous. He answered all my questions and made sure I was satisfied with installation by taking care of all the minor details. The installers were efficient and clean. Customer service was exceptional. I would highly recommend this company.
Camilly Kafka
20:22 23 Jun 21
WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE! I recommend them highly.Very attentive to details, Lucy was always in constant communication with me during the whole process. David, wow, the best installer and very professional as well as Manny that came by every day to make sure everything was going well. 5 Stars. Great company!
Michelle Thompson
14:48 22 Jun 21
I would definitely recommend this company. Greg and Brian did a great job installing the windows. They were very professional and courteous. Jesus was the best project manager. He took care of everything in a timely manner and was very Genuine and courteous. I'm very happy with the turn out of the project.
Mark Hennessy
01:09 22 Jun 21
We had a great experience with Florida Solar & Air installing new impact windows for our house. Stacy was really helpful upfront during the sales process. Manny was an excellent project manager. He was onsite every morning to check on the project and addressed any concerns we had quickly. And Greg and Brian were fabulous installers. They take pride and their work and work hard and long hours to get the job done. They are definitely the installation crew you want for your job.
Suz Hoke
18:53 18 Jun 21
This is the second home I have had Florida Solar and Air install impact windows and doors for me. Their service is wonderful, their windows and doors excellent, and they are just a delight to work with.
Awards and Accolades
Areas We Serve
Miami-Dade:
305.428.2555
Broward:
954.828.0208
Palm Beach:
561.337.1373
Areas We Serve
Miami-Dade:
305.428.2555
Broward:
954.828.0208
Palm Beach:
561.337.1373