Question 1

My San Francisco roof is small. Is solar still worth it?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, though the system will be smaller than a suburban one. Our completed San Francisco projects range from 6 modules to 21. A 2.64 kW array will not zero out a large bill, but on a small roof with high PG&E rates it can still make sense. What matters is whether the production you can actually fit justifies the cost — we will tell you if it does not.

Question 2

Does fog in the Sunset or Richmond make solar pointless?

Accepted Answer

No, but it does change the numbers, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not modelling your address. West-side neighborhoods see meaningfully more marine layer than the Mission or Bernal Heights, particularly in summer mornings. We account for that in production estimates rather than applying a citywide figure. We have completed projects in both the Sunset and the Outer Richmond.

Question 3

I own a TIC or a unit in a small building. Can I install solar?

Accepted Answer

Usually, but the roof rights and the metering need sorting first. In a two-to-four unit building the questions are who has the right to use the roof, whether the building has one meter or several, and how production gets allocated. These are answerable, but they should be answered before design is finalised rather than discovered at interconnection.

Question 4

How long does a San Francisco solar permit take?

Accepted Answer

Eligible residential systems can go through SolarAPP+, San Francisco’s automated review platform, which is dramatically faster than conventional plan check. Three of our completed San Francisco projects were permitted that way. Systems that do not qualify — unusual configurations, certain buildings, some battery installations — go through standard review at the Department of Building Inspection.

Question 5

Can you install on a Victorian or Edwardian?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The considerations are structural condition, the roof framing, and whether the installation is visible from the street in a district where that triggers additional review. Steep and irregular rooflines constrain layout more than they prevent it. We assess the actual roof rather than working from an aerial image.

Question 6

Where does the battery go if I have no garage?

Accepted Answer

This is a real San Francisco constraint. Batteries need appropriate clearances, ventilation and separation from living space, which is harder on a narrow lot with a shared wall. Common locations include garages, utility areas, light wells and exterior walls where clearances allow. We work out placement during design, because it can affect whether a given battery is viable at all.

Question 7

I have a flat roof. Does that work for solar?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and much of San Francisco’s housing stock has flat or low-slope roofs. Panels are typically tilted on ballasted or attached racking. The bigger question is usually the roof membrane’s condition — if it is near end of life, replacing it before the array goes on avoids paying to remove and reset panels later.

Question 8

Will a battery keep my power on during an outage?

Accepted Answer

It can, when it is configured for backup and sized for the loads you want running. Many San Francisco homeowners choose critical-loads backup — refrigerator, lights, internet, a few circuits — which costs considerably less than whole-home backup and covers the great majority of outages.

Question 9

Do you service systems another company installed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We diagnose failed inverters and microinverters, monitoring that has stopped reporting, and production that has quietly declined. An older system can often be repaired rather than replaced, and we will say so if that is the case.

Question 10

Which San Francisco neighborhoods have you worked in?

Accepted Answer

Our completed permitted projects are in the Sunset/Parkside, Outer Richmond, Mission, Bernal Heights, Castro/Upper Market and Potrero Hill. We serve the whole city, along with Daly City, Brisbane and the northern Peninsula.

Solar & Battery Installation in San Francisco

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What We Install in San Francisco

Solar for SF Rooflines

Battery Storage & Backup

Multi-Unit, TIC & Shared Roofs

Roofing + Solar Together

Our Work Across San Francisco

Castro / Upper Market

Mission

Outer Richmond

Sunset / Parkside

Potrero Hill

Bernal Heights

Working With PG&E

San Francisco Permitting

Why San Francisco Homeowners Choose Us

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