Frequently Asked Questions

The sun is a wonderful resource that nature provides. It gives two forms of energy – light and heat. An example of light energy is the Photovoltaic Cell (PV) in a solar panel which converts sunlight into electricity for your house, or the grid. Panels can be mounted on roofs as well as on the ground.

• Solar energy is safe with no risk of oil spills or nuclear accidents
• Solar energy is very durable and has no moving parts
• Solar energy is environmentally friendly
• Solar energy generally is mounted on existing structures
• Solar energy has no noise and very little visual impact
• Solar energy has lower start-up costs, than other renewable energy sources
• Solar energy requires no rewiring of anything in the house

Any person or business can install a solar panel system on their roof and participate in this program. Solar systems require about 100 square feet of area per kilowatt, and at least a 8 kilowatts are needed to recover your money.

• Where else can you earn up to 10 – 12% on your investment?
• Earning contracts guaranteed by the government for 20 years!
• Cash flow positive from the start!

The inverter has a display the shows the cumulative energy produced by the solar array. All participants in the FIT Program must install a second utility meter that logs and records the kilowatt-hours of energy produced by the system, and the utility will send you a cheque each billing period.

Solar panels called modules are mounted on the roof convert sunlight directly into DC power. A component called an inverter converts this DC power into AC power that can be fed directly to the energy grid.

Ideally a home would have a south facing roof slope that receives direct sun during the day. East, southeast, west or southwest is also acceptable but not as ideal as true south. Discover the power and payback potential of your rooftop today. Contact Flexible Solar for a free assessment.

When working with a ground mount or flat roof with no shading, string inverters should be considered. You need better access for string inverters to troubleshoot problems should they arise.

Optimizers are the only way to go if your roof has shading problems, different angles and directions on your roof line.

This is the cutting edge technology of the future today!

You would ideally replace your shingles before you put on your solar system mounting brackets, although this is not necessary. If you are planning on replacing shingles in less than 10 years, we recommend you contact a roofer prior to installing your solar system.

If that’s the case, you could put a metal roof down instead of shingles. Just explain to the roofing company you’re going to install a solar system on your roof.

Professional installers have been installing solar panels for over 30 years now. They’ve learned a lot in that time. That is why Flexible Solar Solutions has factory-trained installers on the job as well as heavy gauge flashing from Tier 1 Racking Manufacturers.

You will need a Building Permit and Engineering Analysis of Structure before and after for the Installation for the City and a Hydro Inspection to connect to the grid. This is required to ensure your system meets the Canadian Electrical Code and you enjoy many years of trouble-free service. We will obtain all the required documentation and approvals before starting the job.

After the installation, you will be generating and selling electricity directly to the Hydro Grid for the next 20 years at a fixed rate, which is much higher than what you pay for electricity. You will still receive a Hydro bill that will need to be paid as usual.

Solar panels produce heat and much of the snow will slide off the tempered glass. Snow accumulation, however, is possible but is likely to occur in the darkest days of winter when power production is minimal at best.

If you put a solar panel system on your house, we recommend getting insurance before connecting to the grid. When talking to your insurance company, ask about loss of income for your system.

Yes. Solar panels do lose efficiency over time, and this varies with the brand and quality of materials used. Many panels, even after 20 years of continuous use still provide way over 80% of the original generating capacity. To minimize power loss, we only use Tier 1 solar panels with a “Proven Linear Warranty”.

First you need a suitable location for the solar panels – a sloped roof facing south, southeast or southwest, are ideal. A flat roof is great too! You need to determine how large of a area you have. The smallest area we recommended is 600 to 1,000 square feet. Second, you need a budget to purchase the system, or qualify for a home renovation or equity loan from the bank. Contact us , we will come to your house to discuss the ideal package for you.