Have you seen ads on social media promoting “Free Solar”? Is it a scam? Let’s find out.
Is “Free Solar” A Scam?
You may have seen ads promoting “Free Solar” pop up on YouTube or TikTok recently:
We’ve had customers contacting us asking, is free solar a scam? It sounds too good to be true.
If you click the ad link you’ll probably arrive at a webpage explaining the program. When you read the description you’ll discover that it isn’t really “free solar” it’s “no-cost” or “zero down” solar – previously explained in our blog post here.
So while we don’t believe these “Free Solar” ads are a scam…our opinion is that they may be misleading. As an informed consumer, we would advise you to ask yourself the questions below before proceeding further:
Is time really running out to claim incentives?
Which solar incentives are ending in 2021? The answer is…none. The same financial incentive programs available in 2021 are also available in 2022, so there is still lots of time to qualify.
Does ZIP code information determine whether I qualify for Washington state incentives?
ZIP code information is not relevant to whether or not a home will qualify for incentives – all homes in Washington state qualify for existing incentives.
Who am I giving my personal information to?
Is the company you are contacting listed with the Washington Secretary of State? If not, in addition to being unclear on pricing information, there is no transparency as to who you’re giving your private data to in order to receive more information.
Who would be installing the solar PV system on my home?
How experienced are they? Do they have reviews you can view? What are their labor and warranty practices?
We believe that any reputable solar company should always provide information in a straightforward and up-front manner, including contact information, previous projects, and customer reviews.
Is “Free Solar” the same as Zero-Down Solar?
Zero-down solar is a real program we offer. We work with a proven and trustworthy lender, PSCCU to offer SustainableSolar and Energy-Smart Loans with the best terms and rates for our customers in Washington State. PSCCU is one of the first credit unions to offer Zero Down financing for solar! As Washington’s Green Credit Union the PSCCU solar program (to date) has helped over 7100 homeowners become solar citizens, creating living-wage jobs and these solar projects will generate 17000 Megawatts of electricity over their lifetime in addition to sequestering the same amount of carbon as 13843 acres of forest per year!
Is “Free Solar” too good to be true?
Our opinion is that the term “free solar” is misleading, however through a combination of financing and financial incentives the initial investment you make in your solar PV system will pay you back over time.
Always look for a reputable solar company when considering solar panels for your home or business check out our 5-star reviews! Some companies promoting Zero Down Solar or No Cost Solar might be using gimmicky sales tactics which pass extra costs to the customer through hidden fees which can increase the overall price of a solar installation by 5-25% higher than traditional financing. Price transparency is one of our most important goals, our solar sales engineers will always be upfront about all costs and fees.
Contact us to get all your questions answered today!
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