Publish Date: May 6th, 2024
Chrissy is a research-minded environmentalist who went solar mainly for the environmental impact. Sharing her story is the cherry on top to our Earth Month content. We can’t wait to share her valuable insights.
What inspired you to start thinking about solar?
I would say our main motivation was for environmental reasons; to lessen our carbon footprint. I studied environmental science in college, so I’m an environmentalist at heart. But the money-saving aspect of it is obviously enticing as well. It’s been on our radar for a long time - since we bought our house back in 2019.
After looking in 2019 and circling back, what made you decide to go solar?
Back in 2021, after there was a really bad windstorm, insurance covered our roof replacement. We didn't want to put solar panels on an old roof to have to then take them off, so that was the main hold up and what finally pushed us in our decision to get solar. The second thing was the Inflation Reduction Act with the 30% tax rebate. [It] was obviously a huge incentive!
"The deciding factor for me [was that] Namaste Solar isn’t pushy or sales commission based, and my sales contact, Anna, was great! But even more importantly is Namaste Solar being a certified B Corp and being employee-owned. I would much rather support a local Colorado company and these excellent people that work there than a giant conglomerate. That’s what I tell all my friends when they ask why we chose Namaste Solar!"
You added a heat pump as well. What would add about that experience?
Ultimately we [thought], if we can just have the sun pay for our electricity, why not? I like that it's dual purpose for heating and cooling, so it was kind of a no brainer for us. We haven’t had [solar] through a summer season yet, so it'll be really cool to see how much solar energy we're producing this summer - hopefully we’ll be offsetting everything [to where] we can finally live comfortably with some AC.
What was the process like for you to claim the IRA tax credit?
It was super easy. That was something I was really concerned about because I read different things on the internet - and it was a lot of money on the line! Anna, our salesperson, was so great and reassuring, and helped us figure that out. And with zero pressure, which I loved. Last August, she reached back out to let us know that Namaste was scheduling out through the end of the year, and we should get things on the books if we want to have our project completed in 2023. So, we decided the time was right, and we paid for it out of pocket at the end of the year, knowing that we'd be able to file our taxes early in 2024 and get 30% of the money back.
It didn't even require any evidence [to apply for the credit] and it was a breeze doing our taxes. It didn't take any longer than other years, and between the heat pump and the solar panels we got a good chunk of money back! In theory, of course we could get audited and they could ask for the invoices and paperwork, which we have.
What was your decision process like before deciding to go solar with Namaste Solar?
I got several quotes to start because I always get at least three estimates to compare with every house project we do. Something others had told me is to make sure to go with the company that's not going to go out of business next year, because there's these smaller solar companies that pop up and who knows how long they're going to last.
So, [I got a quote from a bigger national company] and another smaller local Colorado company, and then Namaste Solar. They were all very similar in terms of pricing and everybody gave me the same recommended system size. So, I felt pretty good about [it] across the board.
The deciding factor for me [was that] Namaste Solar isn’t pushy or sales commission based, and my sales contact, Anna, was great! But even more importantly is Namaste Solar being a certified B Corp and being employee-owned. I would much rather support a local Colorado company and these excellent people that work there than a giant conglomerate. That’s what I tell all my friends when they ask why we chose Namaste Solar!
It's definitely about keeping money local and supporting a business that really reflects what we also care about. Cost is an important decision-making factor, but when the playing field was very level, why the heck wouldn't we go with this company that has these values that are very important to us?! It was an easy decision!
Was there anything extra that we had that those competitors didn’t?
Anna [from Namaste Solar] was really reassuring, routinely checking in and asking if we had any questions, but without that high-pressure, sales-y feel. I could tell she was wanting to help me make the best decision for us.
Ultimately, I went with the company that shares the values that I support and that was friendly, informative, and patient through the process. I felt like the other companies were constantly on my case and trying to rush me. But Anna emphasized [how she wanted] me to feel confident in my decision, whether or not I went [with] Namaste. It's a big decision obviously. It's not something to be taken lightly, so we wanted to take our time, and it was reassuring to know she wasn't pushing me just to make a sale.
Are there any ways that solar has positively impacted your lifestyle?
I don't know that getting solar has changed much for us per se, but it just feels good knowing that our energy is coming from a clean source of energy and not fossil fuels. I work from home when I'm not traveling for work and sometimes [I look out] this big window I have and when it's a sunny day. I'm going to check how our solar panels are doing. [The Enphase website] is a fun tool to have, and it just feels good knowing that that we're doing something small for the environment, at least for our small little slice of it. We go for walks around our neighborhood with our dog and I love seeing the solar panels on our roof harnessing that solar energy – and I love talking about it when friends ask us about it.
Do you have any other insights into how the monitoring process has been?
First of all, it was so easy for us. After install, they said it could take up to six weeks, but we were online within 2 weeks. It’s always a great surprise when reality exceeds your expectations. We've had an excellent experience and haven't had any issues or concerns. We know who to reach out to if there are issues. But you know, hopefully we don't have to.
Do you have anything to add about why you chose us and what your experience was working with us?
I would just say it was a breeze working with all of the different people at Namaste Solar. You could tell that everybody cared about what they do, and I think it boils down to [being] an employee-owned business and the company culture that you have. For example, in other house projects, you get a quote for flooring and the boss guy at the company comes and sells you on it, and then he sends a different team of people that you're like, do you care about what you're doing? Do you have any pride in your work? And it's very obvious that everyone - from the inspection folks, install team, everybody - loves their jobs and truly cared about what they’re doing. It was very refreshing because you don't see that too often anymore. Namaste Solar has a great foundation built, and it’s obviously attracted the right type of people to match that energy.
How closely did your experience from start to finish measure up to your expectations?
With the amount of research I did, plus talking to neighbors and friends who have gone solar, I was very aware of potential holdups, but I am happy to say we didn’t have to deal with any of that. I would say the entire process of getting solar panels from Namaste Solar exceeded our expectations. Anna laid out a very detailed tentative timeline so we had clear expectations. Everything for us happened either right on the timeline - or much quicker. The post-installation steps were way quicker, and we were online even faster than we expected. So, we were very happy with that, and with the whole process.
If you were recommending someone explore the benefits of solar in three sentences, what would you say?
Living in sunny Colorado, with the tax credits and other incentives, I think it’s a no-brainer to go solar if you want to reduce your ecological footprint. And of course there’s the added benefit of saving money on your electric bills. Going solar is so easy and it’s a powerful way to demonstrate that you care about your environmental impact.
Recommended Reading:
- 6 Environmental Benefits of Solar Energy
- Customer Spotlight: Joe McTee
- 4 Ways To Know If Your Home Solar System Is Working Properly
