Question 1

Is my home a good fit for solar?

Accepted Answer

Most homes in Nova Scotia work well for solar — but a few factors really matter: roof age and condition, orientation (south-facing is ideal but east/west works too), shade from trees and neighbouring structures, and how much electricity you actually use. Our free assessment reviews all of this honestly. If solar doesn't make sense for your home, we'll tell you.

Question 2

How much will solar save me?

Accepted Answer

Savings depend on your roof, system size, electricity usage, and how you finance it. A typical Nova Scotia home with a 10 kW system offsets 80–95% of its annual electricity bill. We don't quote vague savings — we model your specific home using your real NS Power usage and show you 30-year math.

Question 3

How long does the assessment take?

Accepted Answer

About 30–45 minutes. We review your roof using satellite imagery, look at 12 months of NS Power usage, walk through financing options that apply to your address, and answer your questions. You'll leave with a clear picture of whether solar is right for you.

Question 4

How do solar credits work in Nova Scotia?

Accepted Answer

Your system generates electricity that powers your home first. Any extra goes to the grid and becomes credits on your NS Power account. You use those credits later when your system isn't producing enough — helping to lower your bill.

Question 5

Do credits roll over month to month?

Accepted Answer

Yes. NS Power tracks excess generation as a kWh credit on your account and carries it forward for 12 months. You typically build credits in spring and summer, then NS Power applies them in fall and winter when production drops.

Question 6

What happens if I overproduce for the year?

Accepted Answer

If your account ends the 12-month period with extra generation, those kilowatt-hours stay as credits against future NS Power bills rather than a cash payout. We size systems to match your usage, so meaningful over-production rarely happens by accident.

Question 7

What financing options are available?

Accepted Answer

Three main paths: Halifax Solar City (HRM only, 4.75% over 10 years on a separate Local Improvement Charge), municipal PACE programs (offered by some towns — see our Financing page for the full list with rates), and cash or private financing through your own bank or credit union. We compare all three for your specific address.

Question 8

Do you offer in-house financing?

Accepted Answer

We don't lend ourselves. We help you choose between municipal PACE programs (when available), Halifax Solar City (in HRM), or your own private financing. Going through the right program usually beats vendor-specific loans on rate and terms.

Question 9

Are there still federal rebates?

Accepted Answer

The Canada Greener Homes Grant has closed. The federal Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit (30%) is currently available to qualifying entities and is filed at tax time. We never deduct it from your upfront price — we show you the real cost and what comes back later.

Question 10

How long does installation take?

Accepted Answer

Most residential systems install in 1–2 days on the roof. The full timeline from contract to powered-on is typically 6–10 weeks: design and permits (2–4 weeks), install day, NS Power inspection and meter swap (2–4 weeks). We give you a target date upfront and keep you updated.

Question 11

Will my roof get damaged?

Accepted Answer

No. We use code-compliant flashed mounts that maintain your roof's water-shed and warranty. On asphalt-shingle roofs, mounts last as long as the roof. We don't install on roofs with less than 5 years of useful life left — we'll tell you to re-roof first.

Question 12

Do I need a permit?

Accepted Answer

Yes — all grid-tied solar requires both an electrical permit and an interconnection agreement with NS Power. We handle both as part of every install. You don't need to do anything until your system is live.

Question 13

What happens during winter?

Accepted Answer

Production drops in winter — typically 15–20% of annual output happens December through February. That's expected. Under NS Power net metering, surplus kWh credits from higher-production months can be applied later in lower-production months. Batteries are still a useful add-on when backup power or resilience matters.

Question 14

What about salt air on coastal homes?

Accepted Answer

Coastal installs need marine-grade racking and aluminum frames specifically rated for salt-air exposure. We default to corrosion-resistant hardware on coastal addresses without you having to ask. This adds a small cost but doubles the practical lifespan of mounting hardware.

Question 15

Does solar work in a power outage?

Accepted Answer

Standard grid-tied solar shuts down during a NS Power outage — that's a safety requirement to protect line workers. If you want backup power during outages, you need a battery (e.g. Tesla Powerwall) configured for off-grid operation. We quote batteries around resilience goals like critical-load backup, outage comfort, and peace of mind.

Question 16

Do you offer warranties and support?

Accepted Answer

Panels carry 25-year power output warranties from the manufacturer. Inverters carry 10–25 year warranties depending on brand. ClearSky warranties our workmanship and roof penetrations for 10 years. We service everything we install — no chasing the manufacturer alone.

Question 17

Does the system need maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Very little. Snow typically slides off panels on its own. Rain handles dust. Coastal homes benefit from an annual rinse to remove salt buildup. Inverter status lights and the monitoring app tell you if anything's wrong — we proactively reach out if we see an issue.

Question 18

What if I sell my home?

Accepted Answer

Solar increases home value (research shows ~$15,000 average lift in Atlantic Canada per kW). PACE-financed systems transfer with the property — the new owner takes over payments tied to the property's municipal account. Cash-financed systems just convey with the sale. Halifax Solar City stays with the property.

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