Straight answers before you hire

The short answer: Solar can still make financial sense for San Diego homeowners — but the math is meaningfully harder than it was a year ago. Here's what changed and what still makes San Diego one of the better solar markets in the country.

Your utility provider — not your city — is the single most important variable in Phoenix-area solar economics. APS and SRP operate under completely different billing structures, export credit rates, and regulatory frameworks, and the two utilities split the Valley street by street, not city by city. Here's what every Phoenix homeowner needs to know before getting solar quotes.

Short answer: Yes. The City of Phoenix requires a mechanical permit for every AC replacement or full system changeout, no exceptions. The good news is that for a standard residential swap, your ROC-licensed contractor can typically pull the permit over the counter — often the same day work is scheduled — so the process rarely delays your installation.

If your air conditioner just broke down in the middle of a Phoenix summer, the answer to "repair or replace?" usually comes down to one quick calculation — but a few Phoenix-specific factors can change the math significantly.

Before you hand over a deposit, spend two minutes on a free government database lookup. A current, correctly classified contractor's license is the single most reliable signal that the person walking through your door is legitimate—and that you have legal recourse if something goes wrong.