Solar FAQs

Residential installations typically take about 8-10 weeks, from signature to flipping the switch. The physical installation could take anywhere from 1-3 days depending on they system size.

Overall, there is minimal maintenance required for solar panels - just set it and forget it! If an unusual occurrence is noticed with your system we will quickly investigate and/or send out a technician in a timely manner.

Panel soiling does happen with dust and pollen collecting on the panels; however, mother nature tends to take care of this with occasional rain showers. All in all, we factor in system losses due to weather and soiling in our production tool to accurately map real world system performance.

Typically, if a roof is greater than 10 years old we recommend having it inspected and/or replaced prior to installing solar. We are happy to assist with this process, as we work with many trusted roofing companies.

In the winter your solar system still produces energy, just not as much due to the sun being lower in the sky. We do not recommend any clients attempt to clear snow off the panels.

A south facing roof in the northern hemisphere is the perfect scenario to receive the most solar irradiance. However, many east and west facing roofs without other shading factors will still produce enough irradiance to make solar a great fit. If you have a lower slope east/west roof, then you should yield fantastic solar production.

Properties with significant shade are usually not the best fit for solar. The panels will still produce energy, just at a lower rate, meaning a longer return on investment. However, trimming trees can drastically increase solar production. If you are curious on how shade impacts your particular situation, please reach out and we will take a look!

Net metering is a solar crediting program run through your electrical utility. In this program, you gain credits on your utility bill when your system out-produces what you consume and sends kilowatt-hours (kWh) back to the grid. When your system produces this excess energy (typically in the summer), credits are stored and can be used to offset your bill in lower solar-production months (typically winter).

Solar systems do not come with batteries, but they can be added for an additional investment. Batteries offer the added benefit of resiliency during power outages. We offer a wide variety of battery solutions, so feel free to reach out with questions!

In most cases, installing a solar system in our area does not mean that you are “off grid”. Your solar system will be “grid tied” and still interact directly with the utility grid to push and pull electricity. This means that you can still pull power from the grid when needed and can send excess solar power generated to the grid for net metering credits.

Your solar inverter will automatically shut down when it detects zero voltage coming from the grid. This is a built-in safety mechanism which prevents sending power to the grid when utility workers are conducting line work. That said, the system will not operate during an outage unless you integrate battery backup.

The system should be covered by homeowner’s insurance since it is installed on your home. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to let them know you will be installing a solar system in case a claim needs to be made in the future.

Ilumen Solar provides a 10-year bumper to bumper warranty for system installation, maintenance, repairs, and roof leaks related to each solar installation. Inverter and solar panel warranties are typically 25 Years.

In Illinois, adding solar to your home will not increase your property taxes. Illinois offers a property tax exemption for solar power systems, which means you are not taxed for the increase in home value your solar panels bring.

Since your solar system is tied into the grid, you will still receive an electric bill each month, however the amount owed on each bill will be lowered. If you come close to 100% offset, your bill will only reflect connection fees. Also, if qualified for Net Metering, your bill will show the amount of energy you sent back to the grid, as well as consumed from utility for that given billing period.

Inherently, a solar system should increase the value of your home or business. Similar to other home improvements, solar adds a significant value to your home or business by reducing your operating expenses. However, the price of your home is only worth what the buyer is willing to pay.

Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) were designed to enable solar system owners to sell their energy production back to the utility to help add to this percentage and reach that requirement. One SREC is the equivalent of 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), or 1 megawatt-hour (MWh). Each SREC has a monetary value which helps offset the cost of the system. Ilumen Solar handles and submits all paperwork and applications for homeowners as part of the solar project to ensure these SREC payments are received.