Selected Questions and Answers:
We're proud to have been improving homes for 40 years!
As SEHBAC have experience improving homes and commercial properties for over 40 years, we have had significant opportunities to install solar panels. SEHBAC have had lots of experience with solar panels ranging from homes to schools.
All of our fitters are accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), ensuring your installation can receive feed-in tariffs. Moreover, all of our solar equipment has the industry recognised solar trademark and we are a Renewable Energy Assurance Listed (REAL).
You can contact us by calling us on 0147 346 7188, by emailing us through our contact page »
To get a quote for our solar products you can call us on 0147 346 7188 or use the solar quote request page » on our website.
To arrange a survey for your house you can call us on 0147 346 7188 or use the solar survey request page » on our website.
SEHBAC have showcentres in Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Romford, Sidcup and Worcester Park. To see the addresses of our showcentres and a map of the location visit our contact page »
Our head office is in Ipswich. The address for our head office is:
Unit 1
1 Olympus Close
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 5LJ
All of our staff are thoroughly trained by industry leaders in the solar industry. Furthermore, all of our installation staff are accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) ensuring the highest possible service level, and go through rigorous testing and exams before being certified fitters.
Yes, all of our staff carry ID for your peace of mind.
The benefits that come with your Solar Photovoltaic system are very impressive. Here are the four main benefits of Solar PV:
For more information on solar PV visit our Solar PV page » or phone us on 0147 346 7188.
We can't tell exactly how much money your installation would save you, however typical installations provide around 50% of your electrical demands. Combine this with earning money from the feed-in tariffs and solar systems can pay for themselves within 6 to 7 years.
It depends on your electricity provider, though the Government calculates that you will save around 568 grams of CO2 for each unit of electricity you will generate. Source: Building Regulations Part L. April 2006.
A typical PV panel we install generates enough electricity to light almost 21 energy efficient 11W bulbs every hour. In technical terms, each panel we install will generate around 225Wp.
Solar PV panels require a south-bearing roof. As long as your roof points between east, south and west there is a very high chance we can install panels in your house. There must not be any shadows cast onto the section of the roof where we install the panels.
For an average domestic installation we typically allow 3-4 days, but dependant on the system size and complexities within an individual property, this may be as little as 1 day or as long as 2 weeks. We will always try to ensure that you are aware of how long we have estimated the installation will take. If you have any concerns about the time estimated, or you need to be out during the installation works, please discuss with one of our team and we will try our best to work around your commitments so that we can ensure the minimum disruption to your lifestyle.
As little as possible! We try our very hardest to ensure that we leave your home as tidy as possible. All of our installation experts lay down ground sheets and tidy thoroughly after the work has been completed.
Not necessarily. When we carry out the survey we ensure that all places we need to work with in the house are accessible, so as long as nothing has changed you shouldn't have to do anything before we install your panels.
Our panels come with 25 year performance warranties, which means that the panels will remain at least 80% as effective after 25 years as they were when they were first produced. They also come with a 5 year manufacturer's warranty on all parts.
Our Solar PV systems need very little maintenance. We do advise and recommend our customers to seek out an annual assessment of their Solar PV system. This helps to maintain efficiency levels and also helps to prevent potential long term problems with your system. This will include a general clean of the panels, a visual inspection (by a qualified technician), nuts, bolts and fixings to be checked and tightened. Every 5 years we recommend a more detailed inspection to be carried out. This will involve getting up on the roof, giving the panels a thorough clean, checking all fixings. We will also visually inspect your inverter. These maintenance checks are not compulsory; however we highly recommend them to keep your system running safely and efficiently.
Solar PV (Photovoltaic) system, or solar electric system, uses the sun’s radiation to generate electricity. The more light that shines on the Solar PV panels the more energy/electricity is produced. A photovoltaic panel is known in the industry as solar module. They are made up of many photovoltaic cells (PV cells) to produce electricity. The cells themselves are a semiconductor based technology that converts solar radiation into DC electricity. Once the electricity has been produced by the panels it is then converted into an A.C supply and can then be used by household appliances or transferred to the nation grid.
The majority of homes in the UK are suitable for Solar PV systems. Nonetheless south facing and un-shaded properties will gain the best results. However you still see good results from other directional facing properties – the only roofs we do not install PV on are north facing roofs. Planning permission maybe needed if you live in a conservation area, an AONB (Area of Natural Beauty or a listed property). However we do advise all our customers to double check with their local authorities’ and to retain planning permission where necessary.
A cloudy day provides sufficient diffuse light by which the panel will produce electricity. Optimum electrical production occurs with bright and sunny weather conditions with the panels facing directly towards the Sun. In overcast conditions, the modules might produce about half as much as under full sun, ranging down to as little as five to ten percent under a particularly dark overcast day. The PV system works in parallel with the power grid. So, if electrical needs exceed the solar power output, the local electricity supplier makes up for the shortfall. Conversely, when the PV system generates more energy than the building requires, the excess power is exported to the grid, reversing your electrical meter! Similarly, you will notice a decrease in energy output through the winter months, but the system makes up for this shortfall by generating significantly more when the sun provides better conditions from March through to October.
Solar PV systems on the whole don’t need much space, and the space they do need will be up on a roof. This is space that is generally not used up by anything else. Typically each kWp requires 8m² (this is on a rough estimate). Obviously the more modules/panels you put onto your room the more power you produce and the more money you get back.
Solar PV systems can easily be expanded in the future. This will be done with the inclusion of additional modules/panels up on the property roof and another inverter or upgrade if necessary.
Here at SEHBAC we offer a 2 year parts and labour guarantee. Warranty on modules/panels, inverters and all other components are as per manufacture warranties. These are all specific to each individual product and are stated on the data sheets provided with your handover pack.
The Feed-In Tariffs are a payment for the electricity generated by a renewable energy system which is used in the property. There is also an additional payment for any energy produced which is exported out to the wider (national) grid. This means you get paid more for the energy you don't use than for that which you do; this in turn, should encourage renewable energy system owners to be even more energy efficient.
At times when you are producing less electricity than you are using, the shortfall will be imported from the grid and you will pay your electricity company for this in the usual way at whatever rate you have negotiated with your electricity supplier. The three main benefits are:
How long are the tariffs paid for, and is the tariff fixed for this whole period?
The tariffs last 20 years for almost all renewable energy systems, with the exception of solar PV (25 years) and micro-CHP (10 years). Once you start at a given tariff, it is guaranteed for the full period shown above and is index linked (i.e. the payments increase with inflation).
How does the index-linking work?
Each year the set level of the generation and export tariffs will be adjusted pro-rata to the retail price index. The Tariff administrators will publish the updated tariff levels.
Do the tariff levels ever change?
For those who are already registered, tariffs will only change in accordance with the index-linking described above. For future entrants who are not yet registered, tariff levels might change:
Solar Thermal or solar hot water systems uses the sun’s radiation to increase the temperature of a heat transfer fluid that flows through a solar panel. Once it has travelled through the solar thermal tubes, on your house it flows to your hot water storage cylinder. This is where the heat is exchanged from the liquid to the water for your household general purpose use. During the winter months, or at times where your Solar Thermal system struggles to heat your water up to the desired temperature set on your thermostat, your conventional boiler/immersion heater is used as a back up to heat your water.
The benefits that come with your Solar Thermal system are very impressive. The four main benefits are:
The majority of homes in the UK are suitable for Solar Thermal systems. Nonetheless south facing and un-shaded properties will be preferential. However you still see good results from other directional facing properties. However we do advise all our customers to double check with their local authorities’ and to obtain planning permission where necessary.
Most boilers are suitable for the installation of Solar Thermal systems but this does entirely depend on the condition and the age of the boiler. However in most cases a new boiler is not required. This information will be determined when the survey/assessment of the property is complete.
The only roofs we do not install on are north facing roofs. South facing roofs receive the most amount of sun light; therefore these are considered the ideal facing. We do install on both east and west facing roofs.
The systems obviously run better and produce more hot water when the sun is out for longer and higher in the sky. However the systems we use are designed to work all of the seasons throughout the year.
Solar Thermal systems at a whole do not need much space, and the space they do need will be up on a roof. This is space that is generally not used up by anything else. A general rule is that for each member of the household 1m2 of solar panel is required. So for a 3/4 person household you would need around 3-4m2 of roof space. The pipe work takes up little space and is not a problem as this runs though the loft. However this does not stop you from using your loft space.
For an average domestic installation we typically allow 3-4 days, but dependant on the system size and complexities within an individual property, this may be as little as 1 day or as long as 2 weeks. We will always try to ensure that you are aware of how long we have estimated the installation will take. If you have any concerns about the time estimated, or you need to be out during the installation works, please discuss with one of our team and we will try our best to work around your commitments so that we can ensure the minimum disruption to your lifestyle.
By ordering a complete Solar Thermal system from us you will receive all the components necessary for your system to work correctly. This will include the Solar Thermal panel(s) with heat transfer fluid, pump station and controller, hot water twin coil cylinder and excellent customer support.
There are two main types of Solar Thermal currently on the market in the UK. One of these is an evacuated heat tube and the other flat plate collector. There are other offerings from overseas but they are not MCS accredited. We would not use these unless specifically requested.
Our Solar Thermal systems need very little maintenance. We do advise and recommend for our customers to seek out an annual maintenance visit for their Solar Thermal system. This helps to maintain efficiency levels and also helps to prevent potential long term problems with your system. This will include a visual inspection of all fixings to be checked. You may find in your annual assessment that your Solar Thermal system requires a top up of its heat transfer fluid. This is not very expensive and requires little labour. Every 5 years we recommend a more detailed inspection to be carried out. This will involve giving the system a thorough clean and checking all fixings. The system will also receive a thorough flushing, with water, to remove all dirt and residual flux form the system. After the flushing a pressure and leak test will be carried out to ensure the system is running correctly. These maintenance checks are not compulsory; however we high recommend them to keep your system running efficiently and more importantly, safely.
Here at SEHBAC we offer a 2 year parts and labour guarantee. Warranty on collectors, pumps, controllers and all other components are as per manufacture warranties. These are all specific to each individual product. These are stated on the data sheets/user manuals provided with your customer handover packs.
Solar Thermal systems can be expanded if needed, but it is rarely advisable. More panels or evacuated tubes, generally equates to requiring a larger cylinder, and possibly a larger pump. A hot water cylinder is typically sized to meet the hot-water requirements of a property, so unless the occupancy increases drastically we would advise against it on the grounds of safety.