Solar Panels After 1 Year: Are They Worth It?

[@humphrey]

I always wanted to know the answer to this so thank you!

[@jeannine1991]

We’ve had solar for 7 years and we generally pay $0. Summer is typically around $15. CA beach city.

[@doodlethebeagle2078]

Having the Tesla battery wall gives peace-of-mind when Power Co. turns off electricity for wildfire weather. Flat fee bill, no more sticker shock

[@Meditations2024]

There's a lot of things to consider on that. The ROI, the potential fire hazard, and the other alternatives (generator backup). Some electric vehicles allow you to use them as backup batteries too.

[@markdragovan9466]

If you have room on your roof, and the inverter can handle it, add a few more panels to lower your total electricity costs. Another benefit I noticed is the room below where the panels are installed dramatically dropped in temperature.

[@vlogginggamingandcoding]

But then she can't sell it back to the grid anymore because of the new laws.

[@ConorLennon]

If you sold the house in five years, the (hopefully owned) solar system would add value to the home. Future buyers will realize that it saves 4k per year in electricity and that increases the amount they’re willing to pay. There’s plenty of academic published research on this, the value of the system essentially gets fully incorporated into the sale price.

[@victoriagillerlain]

I've been waiting for this video for literally a year since you first installed them!!! So excited to watch :))

[@justwordme]

What you really need is a solar pool heater. Even if it’s just black hose laid on the roof and a small cheap pump.

[@Cat-qn1yw]

We use solar panels for our pool and it’s so great. But we got our panels from my sister in law, and free is the best!

[@brat32179]

Those work best in summer when most people don’t need additional heat for the pool (in Palm Springs). Ours has never produced enough warm water to actually heat the pool outside of summer because of the inconsistent sun and fighting the outside temps.

[@justwordme]

@@brat32179 a black hose works best in summer (if desired) and even spring or fall hot days cold nights. They also have vacuum tube rooftop water heaters that work year around even on cloudy days. With the costs she stated of a hundred plus for a weekend in additional gas prices to heat. A rooftop solar water heater would quickly payoff and give guests a better rate thus making the rental a more attractive option.

[@CBlocks]

short answer: yes

[@MrMlbfan6]

Not all scenarios

[@OcRefrig]

If You live in a Blast Furnace like Palm springs , California then Yes , cooler climates no.

[@je8884]

@@OcRefrigthey are actually more efficient when it isn’t too hot.

[@OcRefrig]

@@je8884 Good to know ! Maybe that's her issue in the summer on her stats. The Panels actually Quit Working in the summer & got Over heated. Maybe they thermalled out. Summer in Palm springs is Nuclear ☢️ hot !!!

[@je8884]

@@OcRefrig Sunny and 70 is awesome… sunny and 90’s not as much.

[@CZsWorld]

Perfect for LA, unless the sky is covered in ash for some reason 😅

[@carolschneid]

Always a good day when Shelby posts!

[@360milliondollars]

Batteries would store the energy for peak hours so that it cut cost way more doing on a schedule... but to each their own... I guess we not mid maxing shelby.... got to mid max....LOL

[@ShelbyChurch]

I know so true I might get some

[@Pavlogradski]

Shelby, hope you and family are fine and safe as well as your property

[@itsnotme07]

That's awesome Shelby! Thanks for sharing!!

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

4:20 - It's the other way around. Your panels worked great September 2024. The question is, why was your bill so low September 2023? Was no one in the house?

[@DecoyVoice]

great breakdown, thank you for this!

[@frankb1]

You have a great voice.

[@therondellsheridan]

check to see if it was overcast in September. As you know Cloudy and over cast days produce less solar energy.

[@Morimikmo]

wow, you got very expensive electricity here. At Finland we can got our electricity about 0,15 dollar/kWh.. so you got lot faster those savings with solar panels.

[@HousesandCars]

$20k is reasonable. Companies people in Phoenix are quoting me $40k for a small system. Also the buy-back rate is not as good as it once was. Salesmen could not provide me a clear benefit to installing a new system so I opted not to purchase one. However battery technology is improving and there will be a clear benefit to install a system in the future.

[@ShelbyChurch]

40k might be fair if it’s a big system it really just depends on what it is you get for that!

[@brat32179]

I recommend batteries. For both here and Maui, the battery is what carries us through the night, otherwise once the sun goes down (especially when there are shorter days) you’re no longer using solar. Even if nighttime power usage is a lower rate, needing to run a/c all night, it’s worth the cost long term to be using as little utility power as possible. Once the batteries are bought they are paid for, the cost for utility power only goes up and up.

[@sudeeptaghosh]

Battery only make sense if credit is less than the purchase price right ?

[@sudeeptaghosh]

Yeah the because the difference in sell and purchase price battery may make sense

[@ricardoalarcon5858]

If you already have the inverter, and everything, you should try to maximize the amount of solar panels, use all available space, you can even use a terrace and solar panels. Also there is a special reflective painting that you paint your roof so i don't heat up as much, and keeps the house cooler. For me it's was around 2°C (around 3-4°F) that's a lot of savings in AC just for painting

[@OcRefrig]

Great video ! Shelby, i Would recommend Cleaning the Condenser of the Airconditioning unit EVERY YEAR in Palm springs. Palm springs is a sand box & that fine sand plugs up those carrier condensers creating a Less Efficient unit & can double Your airconditioning bill or more. also Shortens a/c unit Life drastically. ( Condenser is the Heat exchanger part of the unit on the roof / the Finned aluminum-copper. section that the fan draws air through ) I Would recommend Making sure your air conditioning is in tip top condition every year in Palm springs since it's a Huge part of Palm springs life & can have a Major Negative Effect on your electricity ⚡️ bill. Tips for saving money on A/c unit Electricity --- 1) Blow Condenser backwards on the roof , Blowing the sand out of the Condenser coil with a High pressure Co2 Bottle & Hose. 2) Check Run Capacitor Micro farads - every year. 3) Replace Air Filter - Every year at a Minimum. probably more being palm springs. maybe every 3 months in palm springs. never let air filter get more than 50% blocked 🚫. every % of blockage = % of more electricity used. Check T/d on unit. This can be done by you anytime also. check temperature difference between the Air going in the Return vs the Air coming out of the Supply Air vents. ( Basically room temp vs air coming out temp.) should be 18-25 degrees. 20 degrees being the Norm. 15 or less being unit needs serviced. Service the Airconditioning unit on the roof right BEFORE the Summer to optimise savings. Jan , Feb or march. recommended. Shelby - Here's a Video idea for You - More efficient air Conditioning system ? is it worth it ? install awnings on the Doors - to reduce heat load. Tint the Windows - to Reduce Heat load. Give me a shout out in one of your videos if you use any of my ideas. thanks. take care. Oc.

[@ThisIsTechToday]

That break even period is insane!! It doesn’t make sense in Texas. It would take me over 20 years lol

[@ralphpetry1745]

I live in Canada and have had solar for a while. Even though my payback period is about double yours, it has been more than worthwhile. A good solar company will tell you if it is worthwhile or not and will give a pretty good estimate of what it should produce so make sure you know who you are dealing with/get multiple quotes etc. It also minimizes the impact of future rate increases as who has ever seen utility companies reduce the price of electricity over time - lol!

[@belleahn3306]

If this is an Airbnb, did you have less renters in Sep 23 vs Sep 24? Reason why bill was higher

[@venom5809]

Wow that huge savings. Also your electricity rates are crazy, where I am in Michigan it's 16 cents a KWh max.

[@richierich087]

In Australia, we get terrible feed in tariffs (selling electricity back to the grid). Electricity companies charge us anywhere between 26c per kWh up to 36c per kWh (maybe even more) to buy electricity from them. When we sell our solar electricity back to the grid, they only pay us between 3c per kWh up to maybe 8c per kWh. It all depends on which electricity company is being used and the exact location where someone lives in Australia.

[@zr2ee1]

In my experience, the solar company is probably going to oversell you on panels. To get the best bang for your buck your best bet is to make your place as efficient as possible before you go all in on solar panels. Upgrade to LED lighting, Use occupancy and dawn/dusk sensing switches, upgrade with energy efficient appliances, get a efficiency test and update your insulation, looking into alternate heating/cooling methods like whole house fans etc. I paid about $12.5k for a 2.4Kw system years back and it offset my energy usage about 50% in the summer / winter and 100% in the spring / fall when not running heat or A/C

[@byronpyles996]

This is a huge success. I've heard so many people say they can't get their solar working well enough to make a difference.

[@ralphpetry1745]

The only time I have heard of this happening is when the solar company is less than reputable and ends up selling a system that is overpriced and poor quality to someone that lives in an area where it doesn't make sense in the first place. Solar is an area where you definitely may have to kiss a few frogs before you find the prince who cares about more than making a sale - lol!

[@byronpyles996]

@@ralphpetry1745 Good insight. I was informed by 1 or more that the company they used was shady and ended up dropping off the face the earth.

[@Courtney-Alice-Gargani]

It's worth it if your bill is high. I heard in some states they're really not free. You still pay for it and use that cost as an income tax deduction.

[@JP-nf7ek]

You can claim 30% of the costs of the solar system and batteries on your federal taxes and it carries forward if you can't claim the entire credit in a single tax year. Makes the high up-front costs a lot more manageable.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Thanks a ton for your videos! Crypto education is exactly what the world needs right now. I don’t think buy and hold is a wise investment strategy anymore. Not too diluted, and to a certain extent, follow Sophia’s trading ideas and signal tips for your portfolio’s growth and aggressiveness. She’s not only taught me what the cryptocurrency trading world looks like, but she’s also given me a secret to boost my finances. Buying crypto and waiting for the price to soar is not the best way to invest in the market, but buying and trading is. Sophia Haney’s trade signals do the heavy lifting, generating competitive returns for crypto traders and investors in the form of money and peace of mind. Time in the market vs. timing the market. If you keep that mindset as an investor, you’ll stay calm during the storm! Within a few months, I was making a lot more money and have continued on that same path…

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

I can’t reveal too much here, but I’m learning from a really great person named ‘Sophia E Haney’. She’s been in the industry for over two decades and knows a thing or two. I highly recommend checking her out online.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Use her name to quickly conduct an internet search.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

SHE’S MOSTLY ON TELEGRAMS APPS WITH HER NAME.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Sophiahaney she’s verified

[@jamesanabel-w5u]

I agree that there are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such executions are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience…

[@zr2ee1]

As far as batteries i've been looking at modular systems like the bluetti and ecoflow. Not only can you take them with you if you move but you can build them yourself over time and use them for shop / off site projects, and camping. Biggest discounts seemed to be just before Black Friday

[@huckleberryfinn6578]

Wow. $20k for 8kw of solar seems very expensive. I just ordered 10kw solar panels with inverter in Germany for under $4k. This is without installation, because I'm doing it by myself. Solar panels have become so incredible cheap that it's even worth it in cold regions, unless the installation costs are very high, like in the US.

[@VideoGameRoom32]

Does it cause roofing problem when it rains because the sun doesn't hit where the solar panel covers up the room, which will make the roof dry slow after it rains.

[@vlogginggamingandcoding]

I think that in addition to the inflation energy companies will sneak in extra price hikes on every excuse they can come up with. That's why it's almost always long term profitable to get solar on houses like that. Water is more problematic because no one has invented any relevant system to be self sufficient with water and the price will keep on rising especially as natural disaster are becoming more common.

[@exploringfindeverything]

Shelby, what a terrific vlog today. What an incredible savings. It looks like if you had doubled the system it would have gone down to just the connection costs. Are you tempted to add more panels? I really loved this vlog!

[@Jeroen74]

I have a smart electricity meter that's also connected to the smart gas meter. A few years ago I plugged in a little $50 device into that smart meter, which allows me to monitor electricity and gas usage in real time through a phone app. I don't have solar but it can monitor that as well. It's very insightful, it could have explained your anomaly 🙂 One thing you didn't include in the long term is that panels eventually need to be replaced.

[@Dommas1106]

20,000$ for 8kW is just crazy in my opinion. You are looking at 2500$ per kW. In Germany we say its reasonable if it costs 1500$ per kW or less. DIY I got around 500$ per kW for my personal system. Also my german mind can't comprehend the usage of 1400kWh per month.

[@Jeroen74]

I'm in The Netherlands and use about 400kWh a month... I'd guess it takes a lot of energy to run A/C in 40-45°C weather.

[@joshknutson16]

Should just depreciate the panels on your taxes and save even more 😊

[@millennialx9044]

Have the windows checked for drafts and they should be double pane, and have the insulation in your home inspected especially the ceiling those may be areas causing energy leakage.

[@CWBranch71]

Who setup it up? 20k seems like a good deal. I get quotes for 40k and up, in Texas.

[@BrianWeber-gt4ho]

The size is pretty small.

[@chrisspain]

I seriously wonder how the price of $20k came about? With a flat roof install and cables all over the place? I put 12kWp on my roof, with real installation, no wires outside the house, inverter that is capable to take on a second field with 12kWp if I want to extend it, a small 5KW buffer battery (we have occasional power breaks in the summer) and my total cost incl. taxes was12800 Euros here in Spain, about $15k But that´s 50% bigger, got a battery and proper installation. The panels are getting cheaper by the day, 500Wp are running now around 200 Euros retail. Besides that, great video and in your case with those electric prices, really a no brainer.

[@darrenhankner5282]

YES!!! I have them. Electric here in CA is way too high in cost. Any way you can save money and sell extra electric back that you dont use.

[@jackryan8719]

I would rent your Airbnb then open all windows & doors and lower the AC let the fan run entire rental to jack up your electric bill

[@NLMaverick]

When calculating break even point, did you consider the solar panels’ degradation?

[@ToddDesiato]

I sell solar. Nice job! Glad to see a happy customer.

[@KitBoardman]

It might be good but worth to save some amount of money on electricity bill by taking a lot time each year to install solar panels on house in palm springs across California. Thanks for sharing this video, Shelby. ❤

[@Chutney1luv]

Shelby, your investment was well worth the savings! That's a heck of a savings for the first year! And like you said, "Much more to come!"👏😊

[@the1andonly]

Thanks for the accurate information. Not worth it for us, for now. But it might be at some point in the future.

[@orangeguy3314]

I live Vegas and the same hot summeri at palms springs. My electric bills during the hot summer months are from $75.00 to $125.00 per month. I believe your home is leaking and needs to be better insulated.

[@JP-nf7ek]

Likely not the case lol, those rates are likely due to PG&E's insane price-gouging, I think their rates are higher than Hawaii, for perspective.

[@orangeguy3314]

@JP-nf7ek I lived in california and have friends that also live hot temperatures in california also. They like myself live in newer home with better insulation. The builting codes changed over the years and one of them is insulation in walls and ceiling and then including windows.

[@OcRefrig]

Those panels look Dirty ! Hurting energy output ?

[@justwordme]

Shelby do you plug your car in at the house. Were you charging your car a lot in September…??

[@RossoFala]

I never saw myself living in the same house for 15~20 years.

[@brianxyz]

Shelby, how much did your house insurance go up after you installed solar panels?

[@33kmm33]

Were federal incentives baked into the $20,000 figure? Did you decide to take a loan or just pay in cash?

[@suelyons531]

Great video. I'm impressed with the savings.

[@aussiealts3507]

20k thats crazy. I paid 5k in Australia for a 6kwatt system. But after 5 years my bill have gone up and now its not worth it.

[@robertwilliam9558]

This was very helpful. Thank You

[@andrewharrison403]

U didn’t get ANY tax breaks on your system?!? I bought a similar system for my house in southern Oregon in 2015 & it cost me $21k for 20 panels. But after federal/state tax breaks, only $7500.

[@jonasfullhd8481]

Is the difference maybe because of the bookings, was it the same amount of bookings?

[@VideoGameRoom32]

Before you make a video, do you visual what the final video will look like? But in the final product it's different from what you visualized in your head. Sometimes it turns out different than what I visualized

[@Meditations2024]

So, it'll pay for itself in about 5 years. You should have probably gotten more panels. I mean, you're already paying for installation... You can always add more or upgrade them with more efficient ones in the future.

[@GreggK6EGG]

Are you in a SCE area?

[@xiphoid2011]

@4:00. YIKES! That's some highway robbery rate. Here in Texas, the rate is 12-14 cents. Californian are paying more than double what Texans pay.

[@akalina]

Thanks for sharing. I'm considering getting solar in Colorado.

[@pitelf3852]

looking good girl , how much more saving would it be sell the selling added to the 30 year total

[@kristintran9748]

Is $20k after the tax credit or before?

[@Adam-s3w7d]

Was September a cloudy month?

[@ideapage]

But will the system actually last 30 years? If it needs to be replaced in 10 years, this would change the profitability.

[@ShelbyChurch]

They usually last 30 years, so I’m sure it will be fine

[@theatremusician]

Get the batteries. You’ll end up bringing the electric bill down to the monthly minimum.

[@coasteringkid]

Shouldn't you install even more and pay no electricity bill? Hundreds every month is still crazy to me

[@louanndunlap]

Very informative!!!!

[@Courtney-Alice-Gargani]

Tesla has a solar panel and you might be able to get credit on it.

[@dxh4732]

I think it’s worth it in case of an emergency. For example a blackout or an issue of this sort.

[@hojnikb]

This sort of system is worthless in that scenario, as you have no batteries to rely on and usually systems without batteries don't work without a grid, even if solar production exceeds power use. You need a hybrid inverter and some batteries and wiring setup more akin to a UPS to have power even after grid loss.

[@markotrieste]

Common pv inverters are not capable of generating power in stand alone mode, you need a specific system capable of island mode operation. Makes little sense without batteries anyway.

[@hojnikb]

@@markotrieste Yep you need hybrid inverter and wired everything into it's backup output. A simple gridtie hybrid inverter setup will not work once power is lost, as inverter will cut operation, so there's no backfeed to the grid. And it's funny; the cheapest inverter setups (that generally don't even have backfeed/export to grid) actually work flawlessly without grid. Some inverter can even work without grid or battery present, as long there's more production of solar than power usage at the same time.

[@saratemp790]

How much would it cost roughly, to set it up to be good in blackouts? For example, you could buy a small generator, and then run it off of that.

[@andreasgiobel6355]

Are the solar panels Installed?

[@johnnytank944]

I was thinking of getting a solar system, but the closet one I can afford is approximately 100million light years away. With the technology we have now, I probably wouldn’t have been able to reach it before that sun went nova anyway. So I decided not to buy it.

[@oSnapMillerTime]

$20,000 lol You can put 20K into the market and make more money then the money you save. People around me are paying 40K for panels but they are installed properly not being held down by cement blocks.

[@pimpjetfighter05]

That wildfire charge

[@bohenriksson2330]

Crazy high electricity prices 😮.

[@erickayson588]

Question your Utility Company before questioning solar.

[@acorn1744]

Can you Heat your Swimming pool with Solar Panel Energy?

[@Jeroen74]

It's a 8kW system, that not nearly enough to electrically heat a pool, certainly not one of that size. But it's possible to use solar energy to heat a pool, but it's not an electrical system (except for the pump). It's essentially just solar like panels with a black hose inside it. Pool water is pumped through it so the sun can heat up the water that way. Such a system is not terribly expensive I believe (5K to 8K or so) and would make a great addition to her house, saving lots of costly natural gas.

[@exia4171]

Solar panels is so worth it when there is black out

[@Mazel_Tov_888]

You talk like you're from a 3rd world country, blackouts are rare in this country, and if there is one, how long does it last. Like she said solar is great depending on where you live, blackouts are mostly a non-factor.

[@exia4171]

@@Mazel_Tov_888 Blackouts are very common in hurricane prone areas like florida little boy, go outside 😂😂😂

[@millennialx9044]

I wouldn't say rare. During very hot summers A lot of southern US states have rolling blackouts to protect the power grid. And having batteries make the best use of solar panels because you can use both in high usage months to get the net zero grid usage.

[@Jeroen74]

Unfortunately, solar panels don't work during a blackout unless you have a battery 👍

[@exia4171]

@@Jeroen74 that's common sense jerome

[@pedrozatravel]

Wow great ROI

[@leomartinez1213]

I seen panels and and an inverter for less than 20k

[@saratemp790]

Yes it was definitely worth it, you will pay it off soon.

[@MuhammadZama]

nice technology

[@anushkajamal]

Solar panels are 100% worth it in a country like Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@PKDN215]

23 cents is super off peak 😂

[@TheJttv]

Love me a good spreadsheet

[@yeseniaaa16]

Yes it’s worth it

[@TenFalconsMusic]

. *I'm going 100% solar (off grid) on my new build.* *It's 300+ days of sun here, but I will have a generator as backup.*

[@you2bevsgoogle]

Ok but why not install a battery for the night when sun goes down no electricity on solar. What you would sell the house in 5 years why ? Don´t like it anymore ? So much work and time to do on the house and then sell it.

[@ShelbyChurch]

No, I’m not selling it

[@musashi-san____1409]

Because you are tied to grid they will eventually tax you for every kwh you use. Like they will start taxing miles you drive with EV's. They will get money from you no matter what.

[@Courtney-Alice-Gargani]

It might be worth it if you live in the house for awhile.

[@roger_is_red]

look try putting a cost on global warming or is that beyond you. Of course they are worth it clean energy

[@pattycordell569]

❤❤❤

[@Adam-s3w7d]

20k for that? Got ripped off

[@Jeroen74]

In The Netherlands that same set would have cost about a quarter of that, not sure why it's so expensive in the USA.

[@oSnapMillerTime]

@@Jeroen74 US politicans invest in solar companies, then try to force people to use it. Unless you can pay cash upfront and not take on debt or monthly payments, it makes more sense.

[@dbmn7571]

No solar at my home. Live in MN near Mpls single family home built in '77 approx. 2200 sqft. Electric and gas bill for warm half the year is $ 100 to $ 150. Cold half of the year is $ 200 to $ 250. Not much need for air conditioning due to shade from trees but set temp at 72 deg F. Winter/cold half of year set thermostat at 68 deg F. Last few years rates have increased 25%. I remember the power company used to advertise on TV/radio to use their power saying it was "penny cheap". The most economical solution is to build more power plants not adding wind/solar/batteries to individua homes and apartments. The cost to add solar and storage would be $ 1.1 + million for the 35 homes on my block. The suburb with 16,500 single family homes would cost $ 500 million and doesn't include the 8,000 apartment/condo units. The suburb is medium sized and there are 20 suburbs and doesn't include the Mpls. A power plant, coal or nuclear has a useful life of 60+ years. Thanks for the video...would NEVER add solar and storage to my home.

[@doncarlos4931]

Firstly build your house with brick !..... Not wood or fire material shelby !....... Fan from Pakistan

[@markotrieste]

Yep, still puzzled why Americans love plywood houses. Bricks are way more resistant to wind and fires. But even massive wood, impregnated with fire retardant, would be great.

[@pedrozatravel]

It was a pre built house, but in California wood is the primary building material

[@Chutney1luv]

Don Carlos, just asking a question? What happens when you put bricks in the sand and the building is too heavy?

[@chrisspain]

@@Chutney1luv Sorry, but you do not put bricks in the sand. Just ask anyone outside the states, I mean 95% of the world, how to build houses. My house is 320 years old, bricks, older them your country, survived storms, 2 fires, 3 medium earthquakes and is 300m off the beach. It does have a foundation. It´s the big secret we never told the Americans.

[@brat32179]

California homes are rarely brick because that won’t hold up to earthquakes. Wood frame homes are able to sway with the ground moving and stay standing, brick homes will fall apart. You’ll see cinderblock construction in areas like Florida where they are only trying to withstand wind, not ground movement. The standards for building in the US varies greatly based on what kind of weather and natural disasters the area is prone to.

[@joeyhotcakes8628]

👍