Sunlit Colorado
Sunlit Colorado
Your roof, your electric bill, and your plans for the next ten years matter more than any sales pitch. Answer a few easy questions and we'll tell you what looks promising, what to ask about, and whether it's worth a conversation with a Denver-area installer.
Nine easy questions. Nothing is saved until you decide to send it, and nobody calls you because you answered them.
Just getting started
The roof fills in as we learn about your place.
Most people's worry isn't the technology, it's the look. A few honest notes, by roof.
The most common Denver roof and the easiest install. All-black panels on a dark shingle roof mostly disappear from the street. Ask for a layout on the back or side slope first if the front matters to you.
Newer builds in Stapleton-era neighborhoods and infill homes often have low-pitch or membrane roofs. Panels sit on tilted racks, usually invisible from the sidewalk. Ballasted mounts avoid penetrations on flat sections.
Smaller, chopped-up roofs with dormers mean fewer usable panels and more care with placement. Ask where the conduit runs; a good installer hides it inside the attic or paints it to match the trim. Check roof age first.
Denver gets real hail. Here is what's true, what isn't, and who to ask.
Modules are impact-tested to industry standards, commonly one-inch ice balls at about 50 mph. In storms that shred shingles, the tempered glass often holds up better than the roof around it.
Manufacturer and workmanship warranties cover defects, not weather. Anyone telling you the warranty covers hail is skipping a step.
Rooftop solar is typically covered as part of the dwelling, but limits and deductibles vary. Call your insurer before you sign, and ask the installer how claims have gone for their past customers.
An asphalt roof past fifteen years should start a re-roof conversation before panels go on. Many Denver installers coordinate with roofers so it all happens once.
Short and current. We'd rather you hear this from us than from a pitch.
Ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. If you're buying a system you'll own, it's no longer part of the math.
Leased and power-purchase systems can still carry a business credit the installer claims and prices in. Compare the monthly payment, the annual escalator, and what happens when you sell the house.
Qualifying solar equipment is exempt from state sales tax. Some local taxes can still apply, so ask for it as a line item.
Xcel credits the power you send back and runs programs that change year to year. Your installer should show you the current rate plan and credit terms, not last year's.
If your asphalt roof is fifteen years old or more, talk about re-roof timing before you sign anything. Removing and reinstalling panels later costs real money, and many Denver installers coordinate with roofers so both happen once.
Usually six to twelve weeks from signing to switched on in the metro. The installation itself is a day or two; the rest is permits, inspection, and Xcel's permission to operate.
Colorado law limits how much an HOA can restrict solar, but they can still have a say in placement and appearance. Townhomes and condos with shared roofs are a different conversation; bring your documents to the first call.
Then it may not pencil, and that's fine to find out early. Ask for an actual shade report from a site visit or satellite tool, not a guess from the driveway.
One licensed Colorado installer who works the metro, by the method you choose. Partner installers pay us a referral fee when they service a request. You never pay us, and the fee doesn't change your quote.
One licensed Denver-area installer looks at your roof and your bill and gives you a real design and price. Free, and you decide on your own time.