Home Insurance, Solar Panels, and You: Florida Edition

[Frankie the Fink]

My custom home's shingle roof was designed to hold a tile roof if I ever desired it, so, the weight of my 9 solar panels is no issue. A "sky is falling" article.

[tjfontaine]

Solar is not a scam if you do your research and use a reputable company. I BOUGHT my system outright (Arizona) back in 2015. I did my own math on payback using widely available on line calculators. The Solar company I used has been in business a lot time and started as a roofing company. They have done solar for 20 years. They do NOT do goofy leases or funky financing. You need to have net metering in place to make this all work. My system paid itself off after 6 years (in 2021). We have a 20 year warranty on all parts and labor.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by tjfontaine

Solar is not a scam if you do your research and use a reputable company. I BOUGHT my system outright (Arizona) back in 2015. I did my own math on payback using widely available on line calculators. The Solar company I used has been in business a lot time and started as a roofing company. They have done solar for 20 years. They do NOT do goofy leases or funky financing. You need to have net metering in place to make this all work. My system paid itself off after 6 years (in 2021). We have a 20 year warranty on all parts and labor.

I don’t think it’s a scam. I think it’s too pricey for most home owners so they do all types of creative financing to make sales.
If a system was 10 grand or so I think a lot more people would jump in.
I can do a whole house generator for about 10 grand.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by LATB

I don’t think it’s a scam. I think it’s too pricey for most home owners so they do all types of creative financing to make sales.
If a system was 10 grand or so I think a lot more people would jump in.
I can do a whole house generator for about 10 grand.

I would drop ten grand on a decent odds bet. The issues are the uncertainty involved. What kind of net metering electric plan is available today? What about next year? 5 years from now?

That's important, because with natural gas, in the 6+ months when we don't need the AC, I use less than 400kW a month, but in the heat of the Summer, I might go up to 1,500kW or so. So if there's no even net metering, then I'm screwed for at least half the year. Lat time I looked, the few companies that would net meter would buy at a looooow rate, but sell you their electricity at a higher than most rate. So even if your system effectively produced all you used, you'd still have significant bills.

Add that to the uncertainty of extra insurance costs every year, availability of insurance at any price, as well as repairs if the installer goes tits up, and then of course, the opportunity cost of making the investment.

[Frankie the Fink]

Again, I've had solar panels on both my Florida homes and through the 2004 "Hurricanes From Hell" season of 4 direct hits to Orlando in a few months. No issues, not much different than northern houses having "snow load" specs.

When my current house roof was replaced the solar company R&R'ed the 15 year old panels. A 5'5" 100 lb Mexican gal carried the individual panels into the garage all the way around the house for temporary storage BY HERSELF. Letting them rest on her head and keeping them off the ground with extended arms.

Another bullsh!t "sky is falling" article.

[LATB]

It’s about insurance and that’s already an issue in Florida. With roofs being a big point of attention.
Appears that the insurance companies are looking for any reason possible to not write. And the solar panels are another tool in their toolbox.
The insurance companies typically would have an exemption for solar panels and in some cases that would exempt the roof itself.
Now it looks like they may flat out deny coverage if you have solar panels on the roof.

[Frankie the Fink]

I switched to State Farm homeowner's in FL; they sent a home inspector out and the only thing he found was a weeping hot water heater connection (which I fixed). My solar panels never came up as an issue or even a discussion point...and they are a top Florida insurer.

Again a bullsh1t article.

[VITE1]

I have a golf buddy here in Florida who is a GC. He will not put ANY solar panels on roofs because they will always make the roof leak.

My GP had solar panels put on his roof and his home insurance rates went up. It's killed the ROI he had hoped for when he did the math on it.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by LATB

It’s about insurance and that’s already an issue in Florida. With roofs being a big point of attention.
Appears that the insurance companies are looking for any reason possible to not write. And the solar panels are another tool in their toolbox.
The insurance companies typically would have an exemption for solar panels and in some cases that would exempt the roof itself.
Now it looks like they may flat out deny coverage if you have solar panels on the roof.

Yep, if you give the insurers a reason, they will cancel your renewal or deny your new application.

HO INS is not going to getting cheaper easier in FLORIDA until you increase deductibles even higher, pay claims based on economic life remaining (this applies to roofs), and prosecute the rampant fraud.

Once you factor in having to get HO INS throught a higher-priced company like Citizens, the energy savings may be negated to zero.

[Frankie the Fink]

Originally Posted by VITE1

I have a golf buddy here in Florida who is a GC. He will not put ANY solar panels on roofs because they will always make the roof leak.

My GP had solar panels put on his roof and his home insurance rates went up. It's killed the ROI he had hoped for when he did the math on it.

No leaks in 22 years and 7 hurricanes at two different houses in central Florida in my case. Tell your guy to move to State Farm, they don't care either way about solar panels.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

No leaks in 22 years and 7 hurricanes at two different houses in central Florida in my case. Tell your guy to move to State Farm, they don't care either way about solar panels.

In SE FLORIDA, State Farm will only take you if home was built post-Andrew, 1993, AND you have a newer roof; they also want your auto insurance.

If you can get State Farm, do it, as they saved me over 50% when I switched to them four years ago.

[Frankie the Fink]

Most post-Andrew homes have long since had their roofs replaced with current codes used for installation. Most roofers don't use tar paper anymore; instead a heavy plastic material that feels almost like a super heavy duty lawn trash bag and my house has two layers of it. Much better than tar paper because punctures tend to seal up if the stuff is perforated.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

Most post-Andrew homes have long since had their roofs replaced with current codes used for installation. Most roofers don't use tar paper anymore; instead a heavy plastic material that feels almost like a super heavy duty lawn trash bag and my house has two layers of it. Much better than tar paper because punctures tend to seal up if the stuff is perforated.

While the roofs have been replaced, many other things they look for:

1) truss work
2) wind catch spots
3) nails per inch on roof, length of nails
4) garage doors weighted with wood and / or metal
5) garages must have lock-down mechanism
6) window protection, can be panels, but they prefer accordian or impact windows rated to 150+
7) All interior doors must open outward
8) and this is a BIGGIE, NO DAMN DRIVEWAY ROCKS

My roof was done four months back, double plastic and all areas that got tar got a double portion--against house and valleys.

[JRD77VET]

One of my coworkers neighbors has solar panels on his roof. When he went home after work, the fire company was at his neighbor's house.

The solar panels caught on FIRE. The fire company was able to save the house and the chief said "it happens a lot more than people know" .

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink

Most post-Andrew homes have long since had their roofs replaced with current codes used for installation. Most roofers don't use tar paper anymore; instead a heavy plastic material that feels almost like a super heavy duty lawn trash bag and my house has two layers of it. Much better than tar paper because punctures tend to seal up if the stuff is perforated.

Last few I built have full coverage peel & stick. Including the new one I’m currently building.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

One of my coworkers neighbors has solar panels on his roof. When he went home after work, the fire company was at his neighbor's house.

The solar panels caught on FIRE. The fire company was able to save the house and the chief said "it happens a lot more than people know" .

No shit? That's scary.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

While the roofs have been replaced, many other things they look for:

1) truss work
2) wind catch spots
3) nails per inch on roof, length of nails
4) garage doors weighted with wood and / or metal
5) garages must have lock-down mechanism
6) window protection, can be panels, but they prefer accordian or impact windows rated to 150+
7) All interior doors must open outward
8) and this is a BIGGIE, NO DAMN DRIVEWAY ROCKS

My roof was done four months back, double plastic and all areas that got tar got a double portion--against house and valleys.

Not all on that list is required by the FL building code. And there are areas in Florida that have some differences in the requirements.

[justaguy]

My nephew lives near the water in Daytona, he says theyre always bugging him to buy. His insurance is already too high without adding to it

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by LATB

Last few I built have full coverage peel & stick. Including the new one I’m currently building.

I have seen that. But what happens the next time?

[Frankie the Fink]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

While the roofs have been replaced, many other things they look for:

1) truss work
2) wind catch spots
3) nails per inch on roof, length of nails
4) garage doors weighted with wood and / or metal
5) garages must have lock-down mechanism
6) window protection, can be panels, but they prefer accordian or impact windows rated to 150+
7) All interior doors must open outward
8) and this is a BIGGIE, NO DAMN DRIVEWAY ROCKS

My roof was done four months back, double plastic and all areas that got tar got a double portion--against house and valleys.

My daughter's house was built in 1965 and she gets homeowner's insurance just fine.....most of St Petersburg, FL is the same... Old to nearly ancient subdivisions of 1100-1900 sq ft houses, many with carports and no garage.

Her house has been through a shitload of hurricanes in all that time - no damage.

The roof was replaced last year and last month all the electric was brought up to current code and new central A/C installed.