Articles
Live in a Home Covered by an HOA? Know your Solar Rights!
The California’s Solar Rights Act was passed in 1978 and it allows Home Owner Associations (HOAs) to impose “reasonable restrictions” on solar systems, however, it prevents HOAs from disallowing solar on homes.
In 2014 the act was amended to define the nature of the restrictions that an HOA can impose. Such restrictions can’t:
- add more than $1,000 to the cost of a system, or
- decrease the efficiency of a system by more than 10%
Additionally, HOAs can’t delay a decision on a solar installation by more than 45 days. More information on the Solar Rights Act can be found here.
SunWork installs solar on home that are covered by an HOA. Most concerns stem from misunderstandings about where solar panels will be placed, what a solar system will look like, etc. Once these issues are explained, HOAs are generally much more willing to speed the approval process for solar.
If you have any questions about solar for your home, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Recent Articles
Cut Home Emissions by Half with an Affordable Heat Pump Water Heater
SunWork now installing ultra-high-efficiency heat pump water heaters to replace fossil-fuel-burning natural gas water heaters in Bay Area homes.
Net Energy Metering Proposal Jeopardizes Rooftop Solar in California
PG&E and other utilities are proposing changes to net energy metering that make rooftop solar less attractive to California homeowners. Learn what you can do to support rooftop solar.
Solar Tax Credit Extended 2 More Years
The federal solar tax credit is extended two more years. Take advantage of the higher solar tax credit this year than was anticipated.
Battery Backup
In general, an existing solar system can be upgraded to add battery backup. However, it is expensive and SunWork does not install batteries at this time.
Installing batteries for backup purposes can cost $15,000 to $30,000
Hot Water, Cooler Planet: SunWork Kicks Off Heat Pump Water Heater Pilot Program
SunWork is piloting the installation of ultra-high-efficiency electric heat pump water heaters to replace fossil-fuel-burning natural gas water heaters in Bay Area homes.
