By: Willows Moms
Date: March, 2007
I had read about Solar City working with some local cities, including Menlo
Park, to install residential solar arrays more affordably, and thought
perhaps they might diagnose why my panels don't work very well.
They were happy to do so, and sent consultant Chris Irvine (who also happens
to be moving into our neighborhood this Sunday!) out to inspect them.
He reported that they had been positioned and installed perfectly, but that
they were covered with a sticky mold from trees flowering nearby, and just
needed to be scrubbed down.
Then he offered to do so right then, if I passed him the garden hose, a
bucket and mop! My panels are on a second story roof, that can only be
accessed from climbing up to the first story roof, and putting your ladder
on the tilted shingled surface -- pretty scary for me!
He was so kind to do this. We talked about how we are both trying to make a
difference in the world, and selling affordable solar is what he is doing.
He used to work for Palo Alto Hardware's great solar department.
I want to encourage anyone who is curious whether photovoltaic panels might
work for their home, to give Chris a call (info below) -- he was really
great!
