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
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.
Maribel Rivera
16:22 07 Jul 21
7/7/2021updated review on a second project with the company, I was very satisfied with first impact window project, however so very disappointed with the impact door (main entrance), since first day we never had a good door. The door was damage upon removing from packaging and old door was removed and on floor already broken, We informed installers okay to put door like that and that I would contact Solar & Air. That was the biggest error but we had no choice since old door was damage when removed and this new project cost us $3600, which we paid in full, no credit nor finance was requested. Once paid the company could care less. I submitted a complain with BBB and off course was a loss of time, company replied and obviously full of BS and lies. As a nurse and husband being a truck driver our schedules are tight however if the company calls the day prior to come by our house to replace the door frame off course our answer will be no. I can't just missed work if not given at least 2 weeks in advance notice and so does my husband schedule. the project manager also stated to me over the phone that the glass was broken because someone tried to break in. Sir for the record I have cameras all around and no one was near the door the day that the glass was found cracked. the crack is from the very edge and has gradually started to spread outward due to the heat from the sunlight it gets. Lastly the owner is just as disrespectful as his staff. I specifically requested not to speak with one of his staff members and he stated the manager will reach out. I spoke with the manager and when she was due to follow up with me and after waiting 48 hours without her response I called and asked for her and I was told by the lady that answers the calls that I had to speak with ******A for which I was clear I would not talk to her. My husband then called and spoke with the young lady that I honestly think her politeness is a mask in view that she never returned my calls and lied stating she called and for some reason her messages were the only messages I never found within my voicemail, weird right? She then told my husband that the company was "willing" to replace broken glass for I believe $600 plus $ which cost to replace and when he proceeded to explain to her that why should we have to pay for something that is under warranty she told him okay you need to let me know because you are talking to much, that tells you that the company does not value customers and off course nor respects their customersI am absolutely disgusted with this project, I have stamped calls (over 2 calls) made, camera footage when they came to put door down to put new frame to replace damaged one that they brought wrong frame, camera footage when project manager came to inspect broken glass, that shows he had to adjust door when noticed that installer on second visit left door unaligned. If the owner cared he would take time to listen to the recorded calls every time I called and his staff member (same person each time) would say I have to check and I will return your call, never returned not one call to my number.Seems like impact door is not this company forte.I had to do it under previous review in view that I was not allowed to complete a new one. That tells you that they are very aware that they have screwed up.First project review windows.After searching in multiple companies my husband and I could have not made a better choice. Florida Solar Air is top notch. The sales agent Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez is phenomenal and answered all of our questions without any hesitation. The ladies at the office were also very courteous, and handle everything in a timely manner. I was impressed of the professionalism that Mr. Letmits and Mr. Joel showed, they were punctual, had everything ready to get started. I plan on getting soon the impact front door and will make sure to ask to send same workers.Respectfully,Mr & Mrs. Galeano
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.
Robert Dodd
18:22 17 Jun 21
Very professional workmanship.Greg and Brian did an excellent job on the installation of the windows. The supervisor Jesus went out of his way to answer any questions. Would highly recomennd Florida Solar and Air in the future.
Run Wise
19:17 10 Jun 21
Wonderful company, fair prices and great service. A team of great workers Jesus, Billy, and Alejandro came out to put in my 4 windows they were clean, professional, punctual, and very helpful. Danny was my sales man and he was a joy to work with. They took care of all the details and were always easy to get a hold of. A big thanks to the ladies in the office, and the entire crew. Wonderful company, I am very happy and feel secure with the work they did.
Karen Wirthmiller
19:18 08 Jun 21
We had an awesome experience with Florida Solar and Air! Manny, Greg and everyone that was part of this project were very professional and caring.They made sure everything was taken care of, they worked very carefully and organized.Thank you Florida Solar and Air!
Michelle Suarez
14:06 04 Jun 21
My experience was great, from Stacy (sales), Michele (installer), and Manny (supervisor), all around good communication and excellent service
Abraham Valqui
16:57 27 May 21
I highly recommend asking for David to perform the installation service. He’s extremely professional and does an excellent job. Pays close attention to detail and is very careful with protecting your household items, from the dust.
george s
18:36 23 May 21
Excellent company, work was done fast, they took great care of our personal property during the install. Highly recommend. Professional.
Marcela Pereyra
15:35 11 May 21
Excellent service. They are very professional, and I was explained every step of the process. Sales person (mark), project manager (Tony) and customer service (Jennifer) they were all very good !
Ruth Medina
23:32 10 May 21
Daniel their rep was very informative and helpful. He did not pressure us in any way but instead educated us on our choices and let us come to a decision. Themreps that came to take measurements again were very professional and answered all questions. I am looking forward to seeing the end result. Second review to be continued!
Cathy Ferriter
19:01 07 May 21
I wanted to share the excellent experience we had with Danny Kirshblum who is a 5 star sales consultant representing Florida Solar & Air. We reached out to a number of companies looking to install high impact sliding glass doors and windows. His presentation on behalf of Florida Solar and Air led us to choosing this company. He spent a few hours with us educating us and guiding us to make the right decision. There was no pressure. Danny is honest, transparent, and knowledgeable. Looking forward to our new doors and windows.
Zzz
02:25 07 May 21
They truly did an excellent job with my roof replacement from beginning to end. From the whole estimation process, thorough explanations on what to expect, the documentation with Jay, to Jennifer in customer service checking in, to Zuly in finance and to Tony with managing the entire roofing project AND my roof was finished super fast! They are all so nice, professional and super responsive every step of the way. Extremely happy with them. Highly recommend.
Christiana Obadeyi
21:25 06 May 21
Carlos works very diligently along with Alain, very polite and professional during the installation of our windows. Once they started upon their arrival, they did not stop until the job was completed.
Edwin Moreno
17:50 06 May 21
Very profesional people the installers are fast and pay atention to detail david answer all the question I have about the job and Manuel was always supervising all the project until its completion. Very satisfied with the results...
Jerry Alleyne-Nagee
22:02 05 May 21
My experience with Florida Solar & Air was exceptionally rewarding. My initial interaction with the knowledgeable and amiable sales representative was highly satisfactory. His presentation on behalf of Florida Solar and Air led to my choosing this company.I am totally satisfied with the competence and high standard maintained by all of the workers including the project manager Tony and my office liaison Jennifer, both of whom displayed professionalism and excellent interpersonal skills at all times. I am very grateful also that attention was paid to the minutest detail.Thank you Florida Solar and Air.
madeleine low
17:33 29 Apr 21
I am so happy I selected this company! Their work exceeded my expectations in every way. They replaced all the windows in my house as well as installing 2 sets of French doors. Manny , the project supervisor was here every morning to consult with the installers David and Mitchel.David set to work each morning and never stopped working till the end of the day. It amazed me how much work he was able to do in 1 day. Mitchell had to break through a wall to install French door in my kitchen.They both took special care to seal off the rest of the house so that I had no mess from the construction. He also never stopped working all day and was extremely fastidious. They both left the workplaces very clean at the end of the day. My house looks great. You would be making a big mistake to use any other company!
Anthony Rodriguez
16:03 29 Apr 21
Very professional, they did the job on time and with little interruption.
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