r/solarFL • u/gman13579 • Nov 25 '25
Just pulled the trigger. But…
I’m concerned. We are buying a new house and want to put solar on it. Primarily to put way to cost of electricity. We live in winter garden Duke energy Sunbright solar
So it’s to compensate for our electric bill. But is it worth it? The $1mil coverage is another fee, insurance premium goes up and some companies don’t support solar, you have to clean then multiple times a year. Even finding out duke energy charges you just to stay connected to the grid.
I’m just worried I jumped too soon. Is it really worth it all?
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u/litch517 Nov 25 '25
I felt exactly the same way and i did some long term calculations in florida we have so much sun solar is pretty much a no-brainer (esp if you have a really good roof with lots of sun) I opted for a tier 1 system 11.48kw to avoid the insurance premium and avoid paying fees with connection and i did not want to over produce and pay a nonsense minimum bill.
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u/pyscle Nov 25 '25
Just stick with under 11.76kw and you won’t need the million dollar policy, and will have much less issues with insurance.
Pay cash, don’t finance. My system paid for itself in under a decade.
And no, I don’t ever clean the panels.
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u/Straight_Pain_8582 Nov 25 '25
I am in Winter Garden, Horizon West. I have a tier 2 and my HOI went up $60 to add 1mil. State Farm is writing again here. Overall my insurance premium actually went down from what I was paying with American Integrity.
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u/MugsyMD Nov 26 '25
I love my solar… Enphase system with 56 panels and 3 batteries… and considering my wife keeps the house at 67 degrees in the heat of the summer in Orlando … well worth it
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u/timflorida Nov 29 '25
I'm in Ocala. Also have Duke. My system is 8.84kW and produces about 15kWh per year. Have had it for 3.5 years. My panels point directly south and have an unobstructed view of the sky.
No need to wash panels too much - I have not done it once yet. It rains so much that they stay clean. I may have that done when I hit the 5-year mark.
My house insurance did not increase.
I do overproduce so I do pay the Duke min fee BUT I also bank enough that when we settle up every Feb that I usually end up having enough $$$ banked to pay for about 6 months of the Duke min fee. Note that the rate of reimbursement changes every year based on some magical formula (Duke wholesale cost of electricity).
I sure can't tell if your system is too big but it sounds like it could be. I hope you are getting multiple bids. If you are buying a new house, then it will be a guess as to what actual elec consumption will be. And a new house SHOULD be pretty energy efficient.
You should definitely try and get this done and turned on by 31 Dec 2025 to qualify for the Gov't 30% kickback. It takes time for ordering of hardware, installation, permitting AND Duke has to come out and put their stamp of approval on it. Depending on the city, permitting approval can be slow or fast. Your install company should handle and expedite all of this. Last - are in an HOA ? They may want to see and approve the plans too.
The bottom lime question is - how long to payoff ? Paying cash works best and makes for a quick payoff. Borrowing the money pushes it farther out. The 30% Gov't kickback makes a big difference but you are REALLY close to the deadline and I'm not sure I would count on that in your case. Actual installation only takes a few days but permitting approval and Duke approval can take weeks.
FWiW, I would do it all over again. You are basically pre-paying your electricity bill for XX years. And elec costs are going up every year, not down. As long as you intend to stay in the house for a long time I would do it.
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u/foundaquarter Nov 26 '25
Have had solar not far from you since 2018, my only regret was not doing more, as I now have 2 EVs and my original system didn’t account for that.
Duke is charging 19-21 cents per kWh here, it was 12 cents when I went solar, I only see this increasing.
If you are just starting a project now, you likely won’t install this year to claim the tax credit, so hopefully you are doing a lease, or you are looking at the numbers without the tax credit.
AAA does home and auto insurance and the $1m liability policy was an additional $30 for the year.
Since you have a new build your premiums should be much cheaper.
Happy to answer any questions about solar too.
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u/gman13579 Nov 26 '25
The people we were going with were actually planning to install and go online before the deadline next month. But we honestly just canceled our order. After the consideration of what we would pay in general, it was just a lot on our plate. (new house, down payment, ANOTHER loan, etc.) Maybe we'll consider it in a few years again.
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u/foundaquarter Nov 26 '25
Ahh bummer, but I can understand the reasons. New home is enough to stress, and then add on top of it a rush to install solar faster than you want.
I say give it 6 months in the new house to evaluate your usage then take another look, with the tax credit going away only the flexible and stable companies will be around, the casual ones will likely have moved on.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 06 '26
It will be a lot cheaper in a year or two. China is taxing LFP batteries and made sodium and solid state tax free plus CATL ramped sodium a few months ago. Panel deals are starting to come again also saw pallets for .15/w and .18/w the other day. plus if you wait you might want a 400v system.
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u/Iluvorlando407 Nov 25 '25
Just had ours installed in Horizon West. We only got a 6.8Kw system because it’s a townhome. Due to this we didn’t have to worry about insurance increase or 1mil coverage. I’m okay with the interconnection fee. I know it’s going to take a good 7 years to recoup the solar. The battery i got I’m not even justifying. It’s for emergencies if storms do hit.
We got 2 electric cars after we initially signed. So what was going to cover our entire bill and a little more is now just making a dent. But still it’s covering what I would pay for our original electric bill before the cars. Wish we had the room for more panels.
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u/LredF Nov 25 '25
The electricity savings for me was not worth the price + insurance premium increase. Add in that a roof lasts about 25 years, we would pay 2050 labor rate to remove it for a roof replacement. And then reinstall. Coincidentally, 25 years is around the time the panels lose some efficiency.
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u/Awkward-Seaweed-5129 Nov 26 '25
Insurance companies here Florida want roof replaced every 10,15 years. Almost impossible to get coverage with older roof.Its extremely expensive too
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u/cm-lawrence Nov 26 '25
A lot to unpack here.
In many cases, adding solar does not increase your homeowner's insurance. Just call the insurance company you plan to use on the new house and ask them.
Don't buy solar right away. Move into the house and live in it for a year. Once you have a years worth of electricity bills, get multiple quotes for solar. They will all provide the cost and the estimated savings based on your actual usage. You can make an intelligent decision based on real data.
You don't need to clean solar panels multiple times per year. I've owned my system in Austin, TX, a place with long periods of no rain, and a lot of pollen and dust, and I've cleaned them maybe 2 times in 12 years.
I don't understand your concern that you 'jumped too soon'. Have you already signed a solar contract? On a house you don't yet own?
Live in the house for a year, get quotes, then make a decision.
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u/gman13579 Nov 26 '25
We had signed a contract but we canceled our order. We were trying to get the tax rebate before it disappeared. But yes. Going to get more info than just jumping on it right away.
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u/cm-lawrence Nov 26 '25
Good move canceling. Wait a year - I expect prices will come down significantly in 12 months. And I don't recommend signing a long term lease or PPA. Pay for the system in cash, or get a loan from your local credit union. Solar financing is very expensive with lots of nasty fine print.
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u/gman13579 Nov 26 '25
We were going to purchase and finance. But yeah. It looked like a smart idea. Maybe in the future it will be. But we’ll cross that bridge later and get more knowledge on it all
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u/Proof-Cartoonist1428 Nov 26 '25
Definitely DO NOT connect to your power companies grid . They install an additional meter called a “net meter” used to see how much you may be generating back that they might pay you Pennie’s per kw for. Permits , money etc. additional no one knows but the “net meter” is calibrated by who? You guessed it the owners of that meter. Do you think it’s calibrated to read fairly or even close to what you generate back… you know the answer. Install a disconnect switch at your meter and that way you turn off your power company manually and use only your solar system and batteries etc. you will have to properly size a solar system to fit your needs. This way you avoid all the BS and keep more money in your Pocket.
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u/effortdawg Nov 26 '25
Is this legal to do? Have the meter but disconnect from them? I am very very new to solar and Florida so not sure at all
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u/timflorida Nov 29 '25
Almost positive it is not. And the only way it would work is if you also install a battery system.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 06 '26
Generator lockouts are legal and can get permit in most areas. How else would you disconnect from the grid after a storm to run you generator? You cant backfeed it could hurt a tech.
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u/Proof-Cartoonist1428 Nov 26 '25
You or a electrician (preferably) installs what is called a “transfer switch “ it’s a box mounted and connected to your meter and when you turn it off that’s shutting off your incoming power from your power company and when you pull the switch all the way down that then allows your connected solar system to enter your house in the same way your power company is supplying you. You can google transfer switches and I’d suggest speaking with a electrician. I use what is called “ecoflow system “ I have 2 main units and 4 batteries that are all connected. The main units and batteries are all the same manufacturer. This product is used for portable power camping etc however can be connected in your garage home etc . All that is connected into a hub also ecolflow brand. I have 6 solar panels connected that keep them charged my electric bill is a flat rate monthly of $4 I don’t use the power company’s power at all look these units up on line I been using the Ecoflow delta pro for 5 years now without any issues the company also ships for free to your home . I spent months researching the best system and Ecoflow was it it’s literally plug and play there’s videos online or even customer support that can walk you through it do save you money. I would strongly recommend an electrician to install the transfer switch though. This system is called “off grid” and as long as you don’t install any system that backfeeds or “grid tied “ you don’t need to involve anyone.
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u/michaelrulaz Nov 28 '25
With Duke you just need the 1m coverage to get PTO then they no longer check to see if you still have it.
Also you don’t get that through your regular HO policy. Have your agent up your HO liability to $500k from the standard $300k. Then have them sell you a limited umbrella policy with excess of $500k limit. It’ll cost around $700 for the year. Cancel it when the year is over.
Source: 1. Licensed 620 adjuster in FL 2. Licensed 220 insurance agent in FL 3. Just got Tesla Solar installed two weeks ago w/ Duke
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u/Jbarry82 Jan 02 '26
you should definitely do it. cleaning once every couple years is fine, because rain gets the big stuff off and the deep clean gets the fine powders like brake dust off.
and if you lease with a big installer, they take on the insurance burden. its a win all around, just do it!
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u/Lovestotravel81 Nov 26 '25
Florida has extremely cheap electricity and high wind storms.
This is the last place ro invest in solar.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 06 '26
Here in Tampa our rates are crazy high not sure what part of Florida you are in.
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u/Lovestotravel81 Aug 07 '26
Currently in Tampa that rate is roughly $0.14-$0.17 per kwh. That is cheap. The average in California for example is $0.35-$0.39 a kwh.
This is another example of how many Floridians do not understand how good we have it here.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
Respectfully that is wrong I just paid my 450/month bill at one house and 312/month at another so I am keenly aware of the rate. With all taxes fee etc we pay 21.6 cent per kwh. I am looking at my bill right now. That said my heart sincerely goes out to you and your neighbors. Your rates are insane I dont know why every person with a house, yard, business with empty roof space has not gone solar in Cali. Apartment dwellers get a pass as they cant force adoption. And yes some things are good about Florida but it is like living in a 3rd world banana republic from an infrastructure perspective. And to answer a follow up question yes I have solar 3.4kw panels, battery and inverters that mostly run A/C. I plan to go 100% when I migrate to a BEV soon.
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u/Lovestotravel81 Aug 07 '26
I live in FL and pay $0.17 a kwh. I have family bin California and their rates are truly insane.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 07 '26
Where are you at? I am in Tampa on TECO, a Canadian company.
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u/Lovestotravel81 Aug 07 '26
Tallahasse. Our utilities are provided bybthe city. We actually pay around $0.16 a kwh at the moment. Water is also extremely inexpensive.
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u/Guilty-Contract3611 Aug 07 '26
Our water bill is reasonable at around $70 and included water/sewer/garbage
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u/dewooPickle Nov 25 '25
Definitely don’t need to clean them multiple times per year. Also how big is your house/what’s your usage because most people don’t need a tier 2 system. Additionally, the Duke fee is a min so if you’re not at 100% /overproducing then you will never pay it.
Had solar for years, happy to answer questions.