The Homeowner's Guide to Solar

DUBLIN — Making the most of a new roof isn’t about paying less for it—at least, not upfront. The fact is, by investing in quality at the outset, you’re more likely to save money in the long term than you are by going cheap with materials and construction. However, investing in a quality product isn’t the only part of maximizing your roof’s lifespan and performance: you also need to invest in ongoing care. Even if you’ve purchased a high-quality roof, the worst thing you can do is ignore it after the fact. Imagine you bought a new car—after purchasing, it would be a mistake to keep driving it and never have it looked at by a professional. Read more

CONCORD — In California, indoor air quality has taken on a new level of importance due to the annual recurrence of wildfires. With all the smoke and ash in the atmosphere, you need to make sure your air filtration system is equipped to effectively remove these materials from the air inside your home. While there are many ways to do this, the simplest one is maintaining your HVAC system’s air filters. There are many different types of air filters, including replaceable filters, washable filters, micro filters and electronic filters. Whichever type you have, you should know where they’re located (you may have more than one) and how often to change or maintain them. Read more

CONCORD — When choosing a solar contractor, homeowners often focus on price, but given the unique nature of solar, there are far more important things to take into account. The first and foremost factor you should consider when hiring a solar contractor is stability. How long have they been in business? Do they know how to manage a company? Will they still be in business in 10 years? These are important questions because when you purchase a solar energy system, in a way, you’re also purchasing the installer. Solar isn’t like construction. For example, if you’re having your kitchen remodeled, when the work is done, it’s done—you typically won’t need the contractor to return after the fact. Read more

SUISUN CITY — Few homeowners realize how much damage birds (especially pigeons) can cause to a roof. The acidity of bird droppings can cause extensive damage to roofing materials, resulting in leaks and other issues. On tile roofs, buildup from droppings can cause water (as well as the droppings themselves) to dam up and be diverted beneath the tiles, which creates excessive saturation and/or deterioration that leads to leaks, mold and dry rot. Given enough time, bird droppings can even corrode through metal gutters. An even greater concern is the health risks that can arise from exposure to bird droppings on your property (again, particularly with pigeons). Salmonella, E. coli and Histoplasmosis are all associated with exposure to bird droppings. Read more

CAMPBELL — While a lot of homeowners are interested in solar energy, many have questions about the various aspects involved. Here are two common questions solar companies receive from consumers: Is solar a good investment? To answer this question, there are few different factors to consider, but one of the main ones is the amount of your power bill. Generally, the bigger your power bill, the better financial return you’ll get from solar. In most cases, if your electric bill is more than $100 per month, installing a solar energy system will be a worthwhile long-term investment. What kind of maintenance does a solar power system require? In addition to minimizing energy costs, Read more