Homeowner gets candid about rooftop solar one year after installing it on new home: 'Our electric bills were astronomical'

The push for cleaner energy sources has led to a sharp rise in solar developments, including solar farms and commercial rooftop solar installations. Homeowners are also turning to solar as an alternative energy source to dirty fossil fuels that release harmful gases, which contribute to rising global temperatures. 

Is solar really worth the energy savings it promises?

Ricky from the YouTube channel Two Bit da Vinci (@TwoBitDaVinci) shared an in-depth review on YouTube of their one-year mark of owning solar.

"We've been in this house now for two years, which is pretty amazing, but that first year was brutal because our electric bills were astronomical," Ricky said. He shared that, "on average, we were paying $700 a month for electric and gas." 

The average cost of utilities for American households is about $200 for electricity and gas, per data from Constellation. Ricky's utilities, for living in San Diego, California, were more than triple the national average cost for energy, which led him to install rooftop solar for energy savings. 

After a year of ownership, Ricky revealed that solar was a "no brainer" for homeowners in San Diego and California, who experience high electricity prices, because after the solar payback period, homeowners would enjoy free to low-cost energy prices for the remaining life of the solar system.

For Ricky, the solar payback period, or the amount of time it takes for homeowners to see savings, was as quick as just over five years. Most solar systems are built to last for up to three decades, per the Department of Energy. 

Going solar is one of the best ways for homeowners to save money on energy costs while reducing planet-heating pollution. Solar is a renewable energy source that returns energy independence to homeowners while reducing global dependence on dirty energy sources such as fossil fuels, which contribute to air pollution that causes detrimental heart and respiratory health conditions. 

One architect in Maine created a net-zero home that produces only residual amounts of air pollution. A group of Wyoming college students also developed a net-zero home, proving that sustainable homes could be feasible for the ordinary Wyoming homeowner.   

Choosing electric for home appliances such as your water heater and your kitchen stove can shift your household's dependence on dirty fossil fuels by allowing them to run on clean energy from your solar system. 

What is stopping you from upgrading to a heat pump system? The cost of installation 💵 I live in a cold area 🥶 I don't know enough about it 🤷 I already have one 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

EnergySage has free tools, like its free mapping tool, that help homeowners gather and compare solar installation quotes and save money on this home improvement project. Homeowners who have used EnergySage's marketplace have saved up to $10,000 on new solar projects. 

Ricky suggests getting a solar system that you are comfortable with that will confidently meet your household's energy needs. "Never spend money you don't have or you're not comfortable spending," Ricky warned. You can always add on to your solar system to meet increasing energy needs. 

Federal tax incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act can help lower the cost of purchasing and installing a new solar system. However, Congress has signaled an intent to eliminate these incentives, which could make it more costly for homeowners to transition to cleaner energy. 

While the fate of these tax incentives, such as the Investment Tax Credit, remains uncertain, it would take an act of Congress to make permanent changes to this legislation.

Homeowners looking to upgrade to solar can still save up to thousands of dollars, or 30%,  on a new solar project with available tax incentives now.

One homeowner who has upgraded to solar has mentioned the reactions they've received from family and friends. The first question people always ask is, "How much did it cost," followed by "What's the payback period on that?" In response, the homeowner only has this to say: "Solar is THE ONLY thing you can add to your house that starts paying you back on day one!"

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.