Getting In The House
(at the door) So what's the program?
In order to know the program, I'll have to submit in page 3 of your electric bill and ask a few questions about your home to verify what you qualify for. From there, we'll be able to see if there's a program.
How many panels am I getting?
You are getting enough panels to give you 20% more electricity than what you are currently using. The engineers will have the exact number after the inspection is done.
I don’t want the panels to damage my roof
There is a 25 year warranty on your roof if you end up qualifying. The inspectors are very
strict on what they approve, and when they do it, it’s professionally mounted to code and
permitted by the city.
What happens if the panels damage my roof?
That’s exactly what the site inspection is for. Before a single panel goes up, an inspector comes out and verifies your roof is in shape to handle the system. If it isn’t, we don’t move forward. Once it passes, you get a 25-year roof warranty covering anything related to the install. Every panel is professionally mounted, permitted by the city, and done to code. You’re not gambling on your roof — the inspection is the gatekeeper.
How many panels am I getting?
You are getting enough panels to give you 20% more electricity than what you are currently using, and the engineers will have the exact number after the inspection is done.
Are you with LADWP?
Green Power Network. All the programs are approved by the LADWP, and that's how they're able to reflect on your bill.
(we work along side all major utility companies, but we are a private company)
I don’t want to be committed to something for 25 years.
Here’s the thing — you’re already committed to the utility company for 25 years. And for every year after that, until you die. Do you think the utility is going to stop billing you in 25 years? The only difference between the two is one of them has an end date, and one of them doesn’t. This program is just a lower, predictable payment for that same period — except at the end of it, you’re done. The utility bill never ends
What does the lightreach production guarantee mean?
They are guaranteeing that you are getting that 110- 120% offset that we talked about earlier. If, for whatever reason, they don't give you what they promised, you will be credited back what you are billed from lightreach.
What's the difference between a microinverter and a string inverter?
A mircroinverter maximizes the efficiency of your system by giving you a brain under each panel, instead of one brain for the whole system.
My neighbors said they are getting 2 bills
Did they get it through a program? So the reason that someone would get 2 bills is because they are using more electricity than what their system is producing. So, if you go through a sales coompany that just wants to slap panels on your roof, that is something that can happen as they probably didn't do a proper inspection. Going through a county-approved program, they have specific check boxes that they have to hit in order to approve you.
What does Energy Savings Group do?
Energy Savings Group is a program facilitation company that verifies if you are being impacted on your electric bill, and if you are, there are a few different programs that you may be eligible to qualify for. As of right now there are 13.
My neighbors said they are getting 2 bills with solar. How can you guys make sure this doesn't happen here?
So if you go through a sales company that just wants to slap panels on your roof, that is something that can happen as they probably didn’t do a proper inspection. Going through a county-approved program, they have specific check boxes that they have to hit in order to approve you (120% offset).
What if my roof or electrical doesn’t pass inspection?
If the inspection comes back saying something needs work — say the roof or the electrical panel — we check whether there’s funding available through the program to cover it. A lot of times that funding can pay for all or part of what’s needed, so you still qualify. So a ‘fail’ isn’t a dead end — sometimes it turns into a fully-funded roof or electrical upgrade you wouldn’t have gotten any other way. The only way to find out is to do the inspection. Costs you nothing.
How many panels am I getting?
Enough to give you a 110–120% offset — meaning the system produces 10–20% more electricity than you’re currently using. The exact panel count is determined after the inspection, based on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shading. The engineers won’t approve a system that produces less than what you need. That’s not a number we pull out of the air — it comes from the actual measurements.
Can I pay cash?
I looked at your reviews and they're all for the solars. I thought you guys said this isn't solars?
AHH I see so that is one of the bigger programs. Typically people get really excited when they get qualified for that one, excited enough to leave a review. Most people that get the other programs like a box of lightbulbs aren't excited enough to leave a review. (laugh) It's actually the hardest one to qualify for.
“I want to own the panels.”
The federal solar tax credit was eliminated, which was the main reason buying panels outright ever made sense in the first place. Without that 30% back from the IRS, owning panels is significantly more expensive than going through a program like this. On top of that, when you own them, you’re the one on the hook for repairs, maintenance, replacements, and inverter swaps for the next 25 years. With the program, the funding partner carries all of that. Owning made financial sense five years ago. Today, the program structure is a better deal in almost every scenario — that’s why most homeowners go this route now.
What happens when I move? What if the next homeowner doesn’t want it?
The program transfers right over to the next homeowner — same way your utility bill transfers. And honestly, programs like this make homes easier to sell, not harder. If you were buying a house, would you rather know exactly what the energy bill is going to be every month, or have it be a mystery? Predictable costs are a selling point. And if the buyer truly didn’t want it, you’d just sell it to the next person — that’s how transferable programs work. It’s not a chain around your neck.
What if my roof or electrical doesn’t pass inspection?
If the inspection comes back saying something needs work — say the roof or the electrical panel — we check whether there’s funding available through the program to cover it. A lot of times that funding can pay for all or part of what’s needed, so you still qualify. So a ‘fail’ isn’t a dead end — sometimes it turns into a fully-funded roof or electrical upgrade you wouldn’t have gotten any other way. The only way to find out is to do the inspection. Costs you nothing.
What separates you from other solar companies?
Because we are not a sales organization we can't just come and slap the panels on your roof. Your house actually needs to qualify through a few different things. All of these programs are county-approved, and they have specific check boxes that they have to hit in order to approve you. They need to make sure you get 20% more electricity than you currently use and your house can qualify.
If these programs are "free", how does your company profit?
I'm paid hourly, but because they are county-approved, each program gets funded differently based on what you do qualify for and the kickbacks available.
My friend said he got solar for $100 a month. Why is yours so much more expensive?
Understand that it is an unfair comparison because there are so many things that can make your house different from theirs. Every house is like a THUMBPRINT, they are all different. How many people living, how many ACs, how old is the AC, what temperature do they keep the house, etc...
A homeowner is hesitant to put in their bank information with lightreach. What do you do?
This is in place in order to protect you. They don't want you to miss your first payment, which starts only after your system is turned on. This is an unknown date at the moment, so you want to make sure you don't miss the first payment and affect your credit. After the first payment, you can take off autopay if you would like.
What happens if you go out of business?
Great question — and that’s exactly why a program like this is structured the way it is. There are four separate layers of protection:” 1. The funding partner — they own the system and back the warranty. 2. The installer — they’re licensed and bonded. 3. The program facilitator — that’s us. 4. The manufacturer — a multi-billion-dollar, publicly traded company that makes the panels and equipment. “For all four of those to disappear, the entire industry would’ve collapsed — and your electric bill would be the smallest problem you have at that point
I'm going to wait for solar to get cheaper
It follows the trend of the utility company. The goal of it is to save you about 20% on your bill, so as utility rates go up, it follows the path. It has been around for over 25 years and there hasn't been one year in that standing where it has gone down in price. All of the evidence points that it is going to get more expensive.