Installing solar panels at your home in these times comes with some risks, but perhaps not the kind you would imagine.
One family in Texas found this out the hard way when they decided to capitalize on the solar power wave that has swept across the U.S. by installing panels on their home. Things don’t always go as planned, and the project didn’t go as expected.
Are you aware of the risks associated with solar panel installations?
Don’t be fooled: We all need solar panels at home
Solar panel installations have become a common trend across the United States in recent years as families aim to reduce what they fork over for power. Let’s not kid ourselves: solar panels are a tried and tested method to reduce monthly electricity bills, and who wouldn’t want that?
They’re almost a necessity for the average household.
In an ever-changing world with ever-changing tariffs, you can ensure your home has a direct connection to the reliable cycle of energy from the sun.
But it’s not all walking on sunshine.
In many cases, the opposite is true, and some kind of complication will cause problems, like for this man who discovered what happens every night on his roof. One family in Texas has been forced into a legal battle over their new solar power system.
A Texas man got a shock while installing his solar panels
The Torres family in Texas was in for a major shock when they installed their new solar panel system.
Obviously, what they wanted to do was reduce their monthly utility costs. And solar seemed like the best decision.
What followed was every homeowner’s nightmare: no change in the bill… It was like the system wasn’t contributing to the home’s “mini grid” at all. Never mind the cost of installation.
And that’s where the problem leveled up — they now face the risk of losing their home through foreclosure.
The solar panels demanded a monthly installment of $205 to pay off. That’s not small change. But then the power bill arrived at the same $300 to $400 it always was.
On the advice of a family friend, the Torreses approached a second company to essentially purchase the previous solar panel contract.
They thought they were safe.
The final blow came when the second company went bust, and believe it or not, the family was now liable to pay two contracts. Unforeseen discoveries can forever alter our fortunes, like one man recently found out when he dug up his backyard.
All because of this old contract he forgot to read
The Torres family was then informed that, due to the amount they owed, their home may be foreclosed on.
The sheer shock when Sheriff’s deputies arrived at their door was real.
While negotiating with one company and out of desperation, the family offered a penalty payment to get out of the $38,000 contract. It supposedly allowed the Torres family to cancel by paying 15% and returning the equipment. The next blow came, and the company refused to honor the cancellation clause.
A lien on the home looked imminent.
Since then, the Torresses’ lawyer has filed a temporary injunction to prevent the loss of their home. However, while the situation sits in limbo, they sit in suspense. The family is preparing for the worst — which would be losing their home — all because they wanted to do the right thing with solar.
We have all become accustomed to signing documents and contracts without taking the time to read the fine print. We should also consider the pitfalls of solar installations from all directions.
Dirty secrets have a way of finding their way to the truth, as one expert recently revealed. Don’t find yourself in a similar situation of being left in the dark by solar power.