Frequently Asked Questions

The outdated stereotype that solar panels are expensive came from a time when the technology wasn’t efficient and the government wasn’t pushing for clean energy. Now, both of these problems are gone and getting panels is affordable with 30% federal credits from SEIA, state credits and individual rebates that can get the initial cost down by over 50% in total.

All the equipment we use can withstand extreme weather, be it snow, rain, sleet or hail. Because of this durability, they also require little to no regular maintenance. During the initial analysis of your home, our consultants will also make sure that the panels are positioned in an optimal place to gather the most sun possible, even on cloudy days.

Since your house will still be connected to your current energy company, your power will be cut as well so that utility workers can fix the outage and avoid your system back-feeding into the grid.

The utility company grid is an energy storage system. All the energy you produce but don’t use right away goes to the utility company you are connected to and they will credit your account through “net metering”—a billing mechanism that allows solar users to save money. Here in Illinois, the current law states that for every kilowatt of energy you send back, your energy company owes you a kilowatt. They aren’t buying this energy from you, but rather issuing credit for it. The first 5% of solar producers are guaranteed to have this 1 for 1 net metering deal, even when the law changes in the years to come. As of 2018, this first 5% has still not filled up, meaning you could still lock in this excellent rate for yourself!

Every PV solar system receives SRECs, which act as commodities you can sell. The size of your solar panel system will determine how many credits you can receive. The Illinois Power Association will purchase 15 years’ worth of future credits, as much as 30% of the total cost of your system!

Like residential clients, businesses and farms still receive the 30% federal tax credit and are eligible to sell SRECs but also are allowed the use of the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) to recover costs from depreciation over time.

You can’t store excess energy at your home because it is sent back to the utility grid. You will receive the power back at night once the sun has gone down. Storage batteries should be an option in the future.

The amount of money you can save by converting to solar will vary based on your local utility costs. However, you can be sure your utility costs will be lower than what you’re currently paying.

Yes, it is possible to add more solar panels later. You can do this as long as your roof has the space for additional panels.

Solar energy is an excellent choice for just about every home. If you’d like to say goodbye to high utility bills while helping the environment, solar is right for your home.

As part of our solar panel installation FAQ, we want to let you know that in many cases, solar panel installation takes less than one day. Extensive systems can take up to two days to install. Kapital Electric, Inc. takes care of everything involved in the installation of your solar system, including design, applicable permits, and inspections.

While every sale is unique, many studies have shown that installing solar panels immediately adds value to a home and can help it sell faster when you put it on the market.

No. Solar panel installations are property-tax exempt, so they will not increase your property taxes.