Talking Tools and Covering Everything Solar! Print

• Rich - His Dichondra and St. Augustine grass is starting to die very quickly and doesn't know what to do?

Recommendation - St. Augustine grass thrives in a humid environment and struggles here in AZ. Try adding some soil sulfur and make sure he is watering correctly. Reseeding Dichondra is easier because you can reseed. St. Augustine comes in sod form and can be very expensive. 

• Ed - What is the good and bad for painting a Bermuda lawn? He's caring for his neighbor's lawn and heard about this happening in CA due to water restrictions.

Recommendation - Painting is only a temporary fix and odds are good there's another issue if it's brown this time of year. Bermuda should be looking good this time of year. 

• Jay - He's worried about his blood orange tree because it's just not growing well. Is this not a great tree for this area?

Recommendation - Switch varieties of orange. Blood Orange isn't ideal in this area.

• Kevin - He wants to know if he can still core aerate his lawn this time of year and is it too late to seed?

• Roger - He has a tip on cleaning his tools. He uses an airless paint sprayer to clean off his tools. He doesn't use it a whole lot for painting anymore and now he's got double use.

Letter from a Listener:

• Christine - She's new to Arizona and purchasing a home. They are thinking about adding solar panels to the home and the sales rep who came out to look at the home recommended Radiant Barriers.

Recommendation - Run!!!  Radiant Barriers have their place, but this is NOT it and most of the time it's a complete waste of money that won't lower your utility bills. Be very skeptical of this product.

Callers:

• John - Wants to share his unbelievable experience with A-Authentic Garage and their Sales Rep. Raymond who was so helpful. He came out multiple times even before John bought the door. He was so impressed he had to share his experience and we're glad he did. Give A-Authentic Garage a call at 602-678-1089602-678-1089.

• Bob - He just purchased a new thermostat that has a feature called "Swing" and wants to know what settings we would recommend?

Recommendation - We sort out the feature and share our thoughts. Remember, when it comes to Air Conditioning Bigger is NOT Always Better. The right size unit that runs longer will save you money by not kicking off and on too frequently.

• Brett - He is having issues with a thermostat and wants to clarify how to take advantage of his utility plan for on and off peak hours.

Recommendation - We cover "Super Cooling" again and get him set up to save more money. If you're on a pricing plan from the utility company, you should have about 80 percent of your power consumption taken during off-peak hours. Rosie relies on Advanced Home System's setup. 

• Blair - He wants to know how you can integrate an energy management system with your solar panels during on or off peak hours.

Recommendation - Supplementing power gives him the opportunity to downsize an ac unit. He really needs an expert assessment to make sure he's got the right system in place to start saving.

• Jack - He's interested in Solar and wants to know if he is adding power to the grid, how does the utility company compensate homeowner's.

Recommendation - The utility company will pay you, but it's at small rate per kilowatt. It's best to use the exact amount of power you need.

• Ruth -She has a twenty year lease on her Solar Equipment and wants to know if she's getting a good deal because the prices have recently dropped.

Recommendation - It sounds like she is getting a good deal, but Dan shares how she can verify her savings and gain some peace of mind.

• Mark - Does Dan have a preference of roof type for a solar installation?

Recommendation - The type is not usually a problem, but the roof should be inspected and if a company is putting panels on an old beat-up roof, you've got a problem. Call Harmon Solar! They have engineers verify that the roof is in shape to add solar panels. 

• Another Mark- He is looking to install a Solar Panel System to produce enough power to completely wipe out his power bills.

Recommendation - If you have enough space on your roof or on your property, just add more panels to eliminate most of his bill.  Meeting an expert from a trusted company to assess your situation is very, very important.

• Doyle - What happens to solar panels during a hail storm and what happens when you need a new roof?

Recommendation - Solar Panels are made to withstand hail, but make sure your insurance knows you have it and/or verify it's covered with your contracts. As far as the roof, you should really make sure it can handle the weight and it's good to go for several years.

• Anthony - He lives in a manufactured home and wants to know if the structure can handle that extra weight.

Recommendation - It can be done, but most of the time it takes some extra support.

Dan shares warning signs that a Solar Company is not being honest.

Avoid shady companies and call Harmon Solar at 623-879-0010623-879-0010.

Join Rosie On The House every Saturday Morning from 8 to 11!