FAQs
Commercial
The amount of solar needed depends on annual KWH usage with your local utility provider, the capacity of applicable roof/ground mount options and the percent of the power bill that each individual client is trying to offset with solar energy. Once the above items are determined, EGT Solar will work up the most cost-effective and efficient solution available to each client.
Yes, EGT Solar has specific roof flashing and components for every style of roof to ensure no long-term leaking or issues over the system life.
General
This is a very common question we are seeing specific to Idaho as many companies are not profitable enough to use third-party accredited solar software programs to ensure accuracy. Furthermore, roof directionality plays a key role in proper design and in recent months we have seen several proposals with false or misrepresented azimuth calculations which skew the number of panels needed. This is why EGT explains to clients that solar is not a price war but rather absolutely is a quality war. If your solar company cannot show you specific reports outlining the design assumptions and associated output projections, then they are probably not a great fit.
EGT Solar was founded in Idaho by Idahoans and does work only in Idaho. We have a large showroom and warehouse location in Meridian and a training facility located near Sun Valley to provide the best education possible to our valued clients. Rest assured we are just as invested in Idaho as many of our clients are and truly respect and appreciate serving Idaho residents and keeping their hard-earned dollars here in our local communities. We also strive to give back to our local communities by supporting local charities for children, military veterans, elderly, and many other community events and causes. EGT also has been the catalyst from both a time and a cost standpoint in fighting net meter reform here in Idaho and will continue to fight to keep Idahoans’ right to install solar and get equitable terms for an excess generation with Idaho Power.
A well-installed solar system using top of the line components will require very little maintenance over time. Typically, the only item a home or business owner needs to address over the system life is simply keeping the panels clean to maximize production. This involves simply spraying the panels off with water pressure, and usually can be done from ground level in times of dry weather seasons. Or, if in a heavy agricultural area, this should be done during harvest season or times of the year where dust and dirt are continually being stirred up. EGT handles all system performance issues that may arise, as we are alerted instantly of any mechanical or system error codes through advanced web-based monitoring on every system installed. This ensures a problem is addressed and fixed as quickly as possible to avoid production losses.
EGT was founded in Idaho and we are very proud to serve most regions of Central and Southern Idaho. With office and showroom/warehouse locations in Meridian, we cover roughly a 500-mile radius to provide Idahoans the best solar solutions and installations in the marketplace.
Absolutely yes! The National Association of Realtors statistics is on average 17% higher value and 20% faster sales cycles for net-zero vs. non-solar homes. Idaho has seen consistent value from appraisals over the last two to three years at a near dollar for dollar value based on the retail system costs within the first five years of the system life. EGT has had many clients sell their homes with solar and have all had very positive feedback about how they felt the solar helped not only get added value but sell faster.
Many utilities are famous for painting a long payback period for consumers exploring installing a system. If the payback was actually what they advertised, Idaho would not have one of the fastest growing solar markets per capita in the US. Idaho has exploded with solar growth over the last five years as consumers are weighing a solar investment vs. other traditional forms of investing and quickly realizing that even with very conservative estimates of utility rate increases, solar beat all other forms of investing and carries virtually no risk. The sun will always come up, whereas markets fluctuate and often crash, along with other investments. Pricing of the solar system and assumption of the utility rate inflation of the 25-year system warranty are the key numbers to determine relative payback period. EGT’s customers average seven to nine years to payback, assuming they can fully utilize all available tax incentives discussed above.
Most of the components EGT installs are warrantied for 25 years from the manufacturer. If solar is installed correctly, a client should have no worries of it producing power for 30+ years. Most consumers don’t realize how mature the solar equipment market is and that it is not substantially changing from year to year like computers or other electronics consumers use daily.
No! We are a fully licensed electrical contractor and pride ourselves in our workmanship on all projects. This is becoming a very important issue in our industry as many out of state companies are hiring a myriad of electrical contractors (most of which have not installed much solar) to pull the appropriate permits and do the installation. This model is being watched closely as many of the industry problems are most often associated with this outsourced model where there are many inconsistencies from install to install and ultimately the contractor usually does not understand that they are now liable for the entire retail project costs legally as their name appears on the permit. Be very cautious of companies that are not internally licensed to do their own work.
Residential
Nearly every home EGT visits has options when it comes to installing solar. EGT offers many system mounting styles (not just roof applications) in an effort to allow every homeowner to save money with solar. Upon EGT conducting the SmartSolar evaluation, we will ensure our design will maximize the system output for long-term savings. In rare instances does a home simply not have solar potential, but if that is the case, your EGT representative will be the first to tell you that and not push a solution that simply would not be worth your investment.
The amount of solar needed depends on annual KWH usage with your local utility provider, the capacity of applicable roof/ground mount options and the percent of the power bill that each individual client is trying to offset with solar energy. Once the above items are determined, EGT Solar will work up the most cost-effective and efficient solution available to each client.
Yes, EGT Solar has specific roof flashing and components for every style of roof to ensure no long-term leaking or issues over the system life.
There is a myriad of different flashing and mounting in the solar industry which is certainly not all created equal. EGTs uses only the top-rated flashing and racking to ensure long term integrity. Our particular roof flashing is stamped to not void new or existing roof warranties, and we will educate you on the different styles and the vital importance so you fully understand why it simply will not create leaks or other issues. Visit us at our showroom to learn more about this important topic.
This is a confusing topic in our local industry as solar companies from neighboring states have flooded the Idaho market, and with that has come misleading statements regarding available incentives. Here in Idaho, a homeowner who installs solar is qualified for a 30% federal tax credit (based on retail project costs and is dollar for dollar against owed liability) which is structured on a five-year carry-forward basis to allow a consumer to reap all value from the credit within five years on their federal tax filings. This tax credit can be increased up to 50% if the facility and components meet added requirements per the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
The state of Idaho also offers up to a $20,000 state income deduction. This deduction typically equates to a cash value ranging from $1,200–$2,000 on their state tax filing with a fixed 40/20/20/20 structure to recapture that value. Essentially this recovers the taxes that are included in the project over a four-year period based on the consumer’s tax bracket. Neither the state of Idaho nor Idaho Power currently offers any rebates for solar installations so if that is a message you are hearing from a prospective contractor, be very cautious.
The US Department of Energy provides all consumers with an easy guide to all available incentives at dsireusa.org.
No. Solar installations both from federal and from the state of Idaho are exempt from property tax assessment.
For most jurisdictions in Idaho, the permitting will take one to two weeks to complete. Once EGT has an approved permit, we schedule the install within three to five days thereafter. The install typically takes one to three days, depending on system size and other electrical upgrades necessary to keep the system to code. Following the completed installation, the client can expect one to two weeks for the inspections and net meter install required to turn the system on and produce power. From start to finish EGT averages roughly six to seven weeks to full completion and commissioning compared to the national average at over 120 days.
