Solar Industry Update Print

More about the Rosie & Jennifer's trip to Germany:

• Yodeling vs. Cajun Music?

• Rosie checks something off of his "Bucket List" and skied the alps!

• We have fun listening to examples of how harsh sounding the German language is....

• Their experiences at German restaurants

More on the Romero's impression of Germany and German Culture.

• Exceptional engineering in homes, but the kitchens are very small...
• Grocery Shopping Differences
• Street Markets: Fresh foods and Rosie couldn't get enough cheese!
• What Americans living in Germany miss when they come back to the U.S.
• Driving....find out what "Ausfahrt" means.
• All the Castles across Germany.

We have more fun comparing German words versus other languages.

Chris with the Valley Permaculture Alliance joins us to share events happening in Phoenix.  This weekend was the Tour De Trees! Find their event calender here.

*Chris share info about the "desert fern" that's native to the Southwest.

*Romey & Chris talk about all the things they do and how they work with the forestry departments to keep trees healthy and happy in Arizona.

Answering questions about anything in your yard with Jay Harper of Harper's Nurseries & Landscaping Company!

Jay learns about spargle.....he's not sold on it.

Tip of the Week:  Winter lawns should be dying down this time of year and it's time to transition to your summer lawn.  Think about feeding citrus trees this time of year too.

*Get your heat tolerant shade trees planted now! Get it established before the heat gets here.

*Check irrigation systems too.

Callers:

• Spencer - He has a mesquite tree that is big and all the waste from the tree ends up in his pool and is going to replace it with something a lot cleaner. His H.O.A. recommends a Southern Live Oak tree. What do we think?

Recommendation - The Southern Live Oak sounds like it's too big for the space he has. He could try a Chinese Pistache Tree (also called a red push pistache)

• Mike - He's looking for a tree that loses its leaves once a year instead of the mesquite he has that seems to drop something new every month?

Recommendation - Jay recommends the same tree he mentioned to the last caller, Chris. The Chinese Pistache Tree.

*Rosie loves the Weed Dragon Torch Kits for getting rid of weeds in his yard.

We talk with Amy with the Valley Permaculture Alliance to talk about the Tour de Trees event put on this weekend and the specific trees they'll feature.

*Jay & Romey talks about common mistakes people make in choosing trees for their yard. Make sure it fits in the yard, will survive our extreme temperatures.

Caller:

• Gwen - Her palo verde has mistletoe growing in it as well as other areas in the yard.  It's also approaching her citrus trees and she wants to know if she should be concerned?

Recommendation - Jay's never heard of mistletoe growing on citrus, but this is a plant you need to keep an eye on. The only real way to get rid of it is to hand prune it out. Be careful to clean up all the waste and tree litter or it will pop up again!

Get rid of pests in your yard with Bonide Products.  Find them at Summer Winds in Phoenix, Treeland Nurseries in Mesa and Mesquite Valley Growers in Tucson.

Callers:

• Wanda -  The cement is cracking on her waterfall feature and she's heard us mention a sealer before. What is it and should she use it?

Recommendation - We love products by Thoroseal, but Rosie wants more info and we'll follow up.

*Jay talks about a white fly that is starting to be a problem on ficus trees in Arizona. The best way to treat for this is with a Systemic Drench.

*Leaf scorch is a problem that's starting to die down now, but can be treated the same way, with Systemic Drench. 

• Troy - He planted a Chinese Elm in his front yard about a year ago and he has shoots popping all over and he's tried every kind of weed killer they could find and nothings worked. A landscaper told him he has a tree root ball under the ground and that's what is most likely the cause. What should he do?

Recommendation - He can use a product called brush and stump killer or he can use a concentrated form (undiluted) of glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) He'll have to dab each shoot with a brush or sponge. It's time consuming, but it's the only real way to kill that root system.

• Susan - She had a sissoo tree taken out because the roots were encroaching on the house. They ground down the stump, but shoots are still popping up everywhere.  She was told to use Triox weed killer or rock salt to eliminate the problem.

Recommendation - DO NOT USE Triox or rock salt!!!  It sterilizes the soil, so it will kill anything else growing. Rain can move the product and kill your neighbors plants and nothing will grow there for a very long time. BAD IDEA!   Use the same products we recommended to Troy. 

*More about caring for your lawn this time of year.

We continue our discussion on transitioning your winter lawn to a summer lawn:

• Scalping
• Water Usage
• Fertilizing
• Thatching
• Core Aerating

Learn when and how each of these should be done to ensure a healthy green lawn all year.

Callers:

• Tammy -  She wants to plant an ironwood tree in her yard and wants to know if she should know anything about it before she plants it.

Recommendation - Ironwoods are typically small and slow-growing. Look for good color, trunk damage and shape. Don't expect to find anything big, just make sure the plant you buy looks healthy.

If you need help with plants in your yard or garden, visit Jay at Harper's Nurseries & Landscaping Company!

More on Rosie & Jennifer's impressions on Germany after their trip last month.

Go to Rosie's Blog to see pictures of construction methods he thinks we should be using here!

• Hotel Master Key System - Key turns power to room on, so when you leave your room there's no wasted power consumption. (no pic, but they have light switches next to the bed so you don't have to get up to shut off lights)

• Full Rabbeted Doors -  Rosie never saw a hollow-core door and he never saw a door less than 2 inches thick. Jambs are better and seals are way more efficiently. The bottom of every outside door has a built-in spring loaded bottom that drops down and seals the bottom completely. It eliminates the need for the sweeps we use that require frequent adjustments.

*German Warranties vs. US Warranties and how the Bidding Process works in Europe.

Letter From A Listener:

• Mark - Thinks Rosie & Jennifer's Germany impressions are "spot on" and recommends they read "Innocents Abroad" by Mark Twain. It's very similar to the observations made almost 100 years ago. 

*We have more fun with the harsh sound of the German language. 

Callers:

• Jeff - He used to sell doors and wants to know how they measure the doors with the metric system.

Recommendation - Rosie isn't sure, but we discuss more unique features with Jeff.

Find Bonide Products at Summer Winds Nurseries in Phoenix, Treeland Nurseries in Mesa, or Mesquite Valley Growers in Tucson.

Callers:

• Deanne - There is a 30 foot section of her concrete wall that is starting to fall apart. They want to replace it with something, but don't have a big budget.

Recommendation - The wall should come down pretty easy and we'd replace it with concrete again. It'll need a waterproof covering to prevent further damage (Thoroseal) from the neighbor's sprinklers. Otherwise, they could try Belgard's dry-stack blocks.  Call CYC Landscaping for a consultation! 

*If you have the same problem as Deanne and live in Northern Arizona, stop in at Vicente Landscaping. In Maricopa County, call Think Green Irrigation & Landscaping in Phoenix. 

• Harriet - She has a  heat pump and wants to know if there is anything she needs to know before the ducts are cleaned?

Recommendation - Cleaning the ducts NEED TO BE DONE BY AN AIR CONDITIONING EXPERT, not by a duct cleaning company that schedules annual cleanings. Cleaning only the ducts will do no good without cleaning the AC unit itself. This takes an expert. 

*Listen to what the Germans do instead of using air ducts in our homes....should we change the way we do it?

Don't forget to sign up for the Sanderson Ford Arizona Staycation!!!

We have more fun with the Romero trip to Germany. 

• Language and Yodeling
• German Engineered Windows that swings from the side and will open from the bottom too.
• The use of natural light and glass in home building.

Callers:

• Lacey - Her water heater is about 10 years old and wants to know the pros and cons of this type of unit.

Recommendation -  Tank-less water heaters require a water softener, otherwise you'll void the warranty. Rosie likes the gas tank-less water heater and can add more to the cost with the water softener.  When it's all said and done, the traditional water heater is usually what people choose. The extra costs usually even out. This is a better application when someone is building new.

*Rosie loves Solar Water Heaters!

Dan King with Harmon Solar joins us to to talk about all the changes in the solar industry.   Find out if it's right for you!!!

Dan and Rosie Discuss the Solar Industry:

• Utility Company Rates
• Solar Panel costs are way down!
• Incentives drove the industry to grow rapidly.
• Lease vs. Buying panels for your home.

Dan talks about the research Harmon Solar is doing to monitor energy management and gain more knowledge on the industry. This should help solar companies gain a better understanding actual costs to homeowner's and to negotiate better rates with the utility companies. Rosie listeners can sign up here.

Dan shares more about Harmon Solar's Program researching the solar industry and what Rosie listener's need to have to participate.

Callers:

• Norm - He doesn't understand why utility companies can justify charges to customers who have solar and are actually adding electricity to the grid. How do they justify it?

Recommendation - Dan explains how the utility companies charge for kilowatts of power and agrees with Norm's observations. Power storage is the key to fixing all the issues. This will keep the power at your home, eliminating the need to use utility companies power grid.

Callers:

• Joe - She wants to know why she would need to have battery storage for power at her home, when excess power is just going straight back to the utility power grid?

Recommendation - Dan explains everything that goes into this...electricity that you put back on the grid isn't worth very much. Stored power at your home is worth more to you than it would be if you sold it back to the utility companies.

*Dan & Rosie talk about the new battery technology that should solve all the issues between the solar industry and utility companies.

*Pricing changes APS made could affect your decision. 

Letter From a Listener:

• Geno - He has a cabin in Northern Arizona and is considering solar and wind energy....

Recommendation - Dan isn't sure about wind energy, so Geno will need to research both and weigh what is best for his specific location.

Caller:

• Al - He has several solar bids and wants to know if he should be looking for 75% or 100% off-set and the costs to expect per kilowatt.

Recommendation - Dan shares his opinions on certain types of panels and thinks the pricing he has seem fair.  

*Reminder that the Solar Company you pick is the most important decision when deciding whether to put solar panels on your roof.  Save time on research and go with Rosie Certified Partners. We did the research for you! Call Harmon Solar!

Caller:

• Chris - He's had Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating out and has a system designed and ready to go, but he's on a co-op and they have a pending change adding net-metering post dated to February. Have we heard of it and what's our opinion?

Recommendation - This is something that has been done, but it's not typical. Dan would move with caution and ask the installer to see what they can do for them.

 *In Tucson, call Southwestern Solar, a Green Valley Cooling & Heating Company or The Solar Store!

Find out if solar energy is right for your home, call Harmon Solar at 800-281-3189 today!