How to Investigate Solar Power for Your Home Without Getting 1,000 Phone Calls

Does this ring a bell? You’re interested in going solar for the multitude of benefits solar energy offers: cost savings, environmental benefits, energy resiliency. So you type an innocent search into your smartphone: “How much do solar panels cost?”

And your phone fills up with links. You click on a nonchalant-looking one about how solar panels work without realizing it’s an ad.

And just like that, the phone calls begin. With certain solar companies, the calls don’t seem to stop. Now some of us don’t really love phone calls. We prefer an email or even a text to a live conversation in the middle of our day. So, hold the phone. How can you avoid being called?

Here are five ways to learn about solar power for your home without getting robocalls by auto dialers.

1. Don’t give your phone number to just anyone.

Unless you really know the company in the ad and really want a phone call, do not – we repeat – do NOT offer up your phone number into a blind solar interest form. Instead, take the “email only” route. When you fill out the SunPower lead form, for example, we give you the option to be contacted by email only. We will not call you unless you expressly give us your permission to do so. We also include specific consent notifications.

2. Do your homework.

We get it. Ever since third grade when homework became real, no one wants to do it. But there are some “spam-free,” informational websites you can visit to learn about the pros and cons of solar for your home without getting blasted with advertising or calls:

• The US Department of Energy has been working on solar research for decades and they know their way around a photon.
• The Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar has answers to all your questions on solar, from how to evaluate your home’s readiness for solar, to knowing how to find state and federal tax incentives for home solar.
• As the industry trade association, the Solar Energy Industries Association does have a vested interest in promoting solar, but the site will not attempt to gather your information or resell it to any other companies. 

3. Talk to people You trust.

Solar growth has been phenomenal over the last several years. Chances are, some of your neighbors or friends already have solar power. Ask them how they made the decision to go solar, what their installation experience was like and how the system has performed so far. See if they would recommend the same products or installer for your system.

4. Check review sites.

Popular review sites are a great way to learn about the solar companies you are shopping from real customers. Sifting through reviews on Best Company, Consumer Affairs and Energy Sage can give you a lot of information about what you might experience throughout every step of the process.

5. Visit SunPower.com to get started.

Well of course we’d say this! But truly, SunPower.com is overflowing with helpful information to guide your decision about solar power. In fact, the site was recently named one of the top sites for solar education.

You can read customer reviews, use our savings calculator to see how much you could be saving with solar, even design your own system. You’ll learn some important solar terms to know, like degradation rate and efficiency and understand why SunPower is consistently ranked #1 for both.

Going solar is an important decision, so take your time learning about it. And when you’re ready to engage with a trusted advisor, locate a professional SunPower installer. With SunPower you’ll save more than just money, save time and save your sanity.

Original Source: https://us.sunpower.com/blog/2022/01/13/how-investigate-solar-energy