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Eric Zetmeir
Senior Solar Consultant
Hello, my name is Erik Zetmeir, and I am a Senior Sales Consultant at Palomar Solar and Roofing. I have been with Palomar Solar and Roofing for over 7 years, but I have been in the solar industry for over 12 years.
My journey into solar started started 15 years ago when I first installed solar on my home in Escondido in 2008. At that time, most people didn’t see the value in solar. In many cases, it was hard to justify, with the tier 1 rate at 8 cents per kWh. With the help of the 30% federal tax credit and state credits (now expired), it was more of a break even, and the ROI was about 7.5 years down the road. My panels are blue with silver frames, and my inverter is an old SMA. Even with all the drawbacks of that technology, my solar has always done what it was designed for… to eliminate my SDG&E bill. This is important because in 2010 I was laid off at a job I had for 10 years. We were in the middle of a recession, and the amount of available job opportunities was limited. Just like many other people during that time, I had a family to support, a mortgage, and other bills to be paid. Times were tough, but we made it through by being both conservative and smart with our money. I often look back at that time and think how much of a difference having solar on my house made. My solar eliminated around $300 per month in SDG&E charges. That was money that was used for food, clothing, and other necessities. I’m not saying that’s the sole reason why we were able to keep our house, but it sure helped to not have that massive electric bill looming over my checkbook each month. I bring this up because going solar isn’t just about saving money and quality of life… it’s also about protecting yourself from future unknowns.
Given the numerous changes to the way utilities can raise your rates, the rise in Electric Vehicles, increased power demands, and the growing occurrence of rolling blackouts and brownouts, along with the escalating costs of gas, food, clothing, and other essentials, there couldn’t be a better time to “future-proof” your home with solar energy.
In a world that can change in a moment, do everything you can to be prepared!
Give me a call: 760.576.6179
Useful Links:
Remember to check California State License Board to make sure the company has both a C10 electrical license and a C39 roofing license. Here is the link to ours: CSLB – Palomar Solar
Also, confirm the sales rep is licensed and for how long with the company as they will be the conduit should you ever need help. Here is a link to mine: Home Improvement Registration Detail – Erik Zetmeir
Finally, another great resource is from the inverter manufacturer Enphase. Click on this link and put in your zip code to see who they recommend in your area based on reputation and experience: Enphase – Find an Installer
Latest Yelp Reviews
Jennifer Larson – Escondido
I read reviews and got quotes from three companies, I decided to go with Palomar, and I am glad I did! From the start, Erik explained the whole process, and answered all my questions, (and I had a lot of them).
The process was very easy – everything is done online now. Erik emailed me the quote with the diagrams and schematics for the proposed system, as well as multiple financing options. Once we were ready to move forward, the contracts were signed online, and we got on the schedule for installation.
They take care of everything with the city as far as permits, and scheduling inspections.
Palomar does a great job with communication. They send emails and call you to make sure you know when to expect their guys to arrive, as well as what work is being done, and how long they will be there.
I love that they are a licensed roofing contractor, so we had them replace the roof first, so the whole roof as well as the solar system is all under warranty. Our roof took two days to complete. They were on time, very professional, and when they were finished, everything was cleaned up and you would never have known they had been there – except we had a new roof. The day the solar was installed, the whole crew showed up, and you could tell they had a great relationship as a team. Everyone was relaxed, talking and joking together as they worked. Observing their working relationship made me confident that these guys knew what they were doing, because they obviously had been working together long enough to form a cohesive team.
The install only took one day, but then we had to wait a few days for the city to sign off, and then SDG&E to switch us over.
My husband loves to go look at the meter during the day, and see how much power we are producing. He got the app that lets you track your production daily. On top of that, Palomar does the per panel monitoring, so if there is a problem, they will let us know and come out to fix it if necessary.
We love our new solar system, and are so happy we went with Palomar Solar to make it happen!
Jen Ecklund – Temecula
We recently had Palomar install a roof system at our property in Temecula. We spoke with numerous companies and had considered Palomar as our “throwaway quote” because we *thought* we’d found the company we wanted to sign with already. However, their sales rep Erik really impressed us on a couple of fronts. Their rooftop installation process was super clean and didn’t require that they drill into our roof (which was a huge plus for our tile roof). Secondly, the per panel Enphase monitoring is standard with Palomar, allowing us to watch our system on an updated basis every single day. Thirdly, the pricing with Palomar for the substantial system we wanted to install was hands-down the best. We went back to the company we thought we would sign with and had them price out our system with the same panels Palomar quoted us for and the pricing was *much* higher.
Erik and the entire staff at Palomar had excellent communication and organizational skills throughout the process. We never felt confused or “in the dark” at any point during the process. The install crew was fantastic, punctual, polite, and tidy. Our system was installed way ahead of schedule – and a bit under budget. How can you not like that?
If you’re exploring the idea of solar we can offer our highest recommendation of Palomar Solar – you won’t regret working with them!
Mark Anderson – Oceanside
When I decided to go solar. I didn’t know who to call. There was so many to choose from. I chose Palomar because I believed what the ad on the radio was saying to me. He seemed so honest and dedicated to his work. From the moment that I called I realized I was right. These guys are the best. I felt so confident working with them. Erik Zetmeir helped me pick the right number of panels for my house, And the company kept me in the loop through the whole process. After the installation Erik came back to the house to show me how to monitor my panels and make sure everything is working correctly. In all the whole team did a great job with my house and I am 100% satisfied. Thank you so much Palomar Solar for the easy and stress-free Installation. Very sincerely Mark
Pam Hill – Escondido
When we decided to go solar, we talked with a number of companies. Erik from Palomar Solar was the most professional and knowledgeable. He educated us on their products and why they are above the rest. Their guarantee is better, their monitoring is better and the black panels are nice to look at. The roofing crew were professional and cleaned up every day. The crew that installed the panels were the same the whole process was timely and neat. We turned on our panels last Friday and installed the monitoring app. It’s funny how many times a day I look at it to see how we are generating our own power! We also liked that Palomar is a local company and if we have a service issue they are right here. Great Job! We are so happy with Palomar Solar.
Chuck Piro – La Mesa
Palomar was the fifth of five companies I interviewed to install solar panels on my home. Erik from Palomar Solar was, by far, better prepared and presented me with a proposal that was second to none. He made this huge decision easy to make…and I never regretted it.
He and the guys at Palomar designed a 20-panel system that was installed less than 3 weeks later…. without a hiccup. Patrick, and his crew did an outstanding job installing my system. They were on time, efficient, respectful of my property and had my system up in two days, that ultimately passed SDG&E and the city of La Mesa’s inspection first time around.
Both Roxanne and Rebecca, in the office, made sure my project moved along smoothly and were very easy to work with.
I don’t hesitate in recommending Palomar Solar, if you’re in the market to eliminate your SDG&E bill.
Thanks Palomar!
Kevin Ashworth – Santee
We choose Palomar solar for a couple of reasons, my wife researched on yelp several companies. Then we met with Erik and I liked the no pressure sales pitch. He did not want to sell me more than I needed. At first glance of our roof we (he and I) didn’t think we would need a roof, but Palomar’s installer took a look and said we had about a year left on that roof. Being the skeptic, I am we found the paperwork on the roof as sure enough we had one year left on our 20-year shingles. the whole process took about one month and all of the Palomar representatives were very knowledgeable about their products and professional in their work. I am very pleased we went with Palomar Solar.
Allan Gutierrez –Carlsbad
From start to finish, Palomar Solar was a great company to work with. I have researched and met with several other solar companies over the last year and Palomar had what I was looking for – good price, long warranties (as good or better than everyone else), and a track record of customer satisfaction. I liked Erik’s non-pushy, information-based approach so I agreed to his proposal. They had an opening in their schedule due to a cancellation and things moved so quickly that I had my system installed, inspected, and approved to operate in just over 2 weeks from my initial meeting with them. The follow-up and attention to detail from Erik, Anthony, the installation crew, and everyone in their office showed great customer service. In the competitive solar market here in San Diego County, Palomar Solar has done a great job of separating themselves from the rest.
Donald Griswold – Yucaipa
Simple process, great price, exceptional installation and service. These are all terms or phrases used to describe my experience with Palomar Solar. I did what I assume is fairly standard these days and checked web sites, yelp, and any other type of information I could find on solar companies to narrow the field before starting the quote process. Palomar jumped out at me from a review I read written on a boating forum. It was detailed, and written from the perspective of a homeowner that cared about the function and form of the installation. It checked off many boxes for me about not only how serviceable the installation was, but also, well thought out, ascetics considered. The installers got good reviews and the sales and support staff were good communicators. I did not understand how important this last piece was until I began the journey myself. I got quotes from 3 companies, only 2 were really in the running, in the end Palomar was the clear-cut leader on many different fronts. They beat everyone else on price, speced the best components and worked with me when I asked questions about different variables. In the end, I got the specific equipment that worked best for my installation, at a great price and I was happy with the projected production number. I agonized over the simple decision to move forward with the project and Erik was patient and answered all my questions in a timely manner, never any pressure, always looking to actually talk with me about what I was thinking about to understand my perspective. Once we made the decision, things seemed to stand still. In reality, Palomar moved at an impressive rate of speed, a pre-inspection was completed, the permits were submitted, and I waited for a scheduled installation date. That happened much sooner that I had anticipated. They finished a job ahead of schedule and fit me in before their next job. They arrived in the morning and work hard all day, parked where I asked to avoid any issue with my concrete and left the side yard as clean as they found it. They were back the next day, finished early in the afternoon, cleaned up, and were gone again. The entire crew were great, easy to talk to very willing to discuss any aspect of the job, funny and confident. I spoke at length with the electrician about the placement of the subpanel and the conduit, where and how he was going to place everything and how to lay it all out. Everything showed up new in the box and was opened and installed in from of me, nothing user or left over from another job. They were very respectful of my house and in particular, my rain gutters, which I appreciated. The finished product is producing above the rated specs for the job and the per-panel monitoring is very easy to understand and provides an impressive amount of information. I could not be happier with how the entire process went and as a result have recommended Erik and Palomar to several of my coworkers and friends, 2 of which are under contract with Palomar, one who just had his installation final inspected yesterday. Than you Erik Z. and Palomar Solar for taking the highs and lows out of my year, making for smooth sailing from here on out. As you can tell I highly recommend them.
Suzy Ashworth – Santee
Met with Erik today from Palomar. No pressure, no spin, just facts. Seriously working my options. Refreshing to have facts versus sale pitch.
Updated, had Palomar do the install plus a new roof. I couldn’t be happier. Ability to monitor each panel ourselves is unique to Palomar. We were not “sold” anything, we were educated. I would highly recommend.
My Articles
Too Good to Be True
The Hidden Costs of Solar Leases and PPA’s What You Need to Know In several of my recent meetings with homeowners, the topic of leasing/PPA has come up once again. Whenever there is a downturn in the economy, higher interest rates, or political uncertainty, leasing...
Palomar Solar and Roofing: The Importance of Choosing a Locally Owned and Operated Solar Company
By Erik Zetmeir As the demand/cost of energy continues to rise, more homeowners than ever are turning to solar power for its environmental benefits and long-term savings. At Palomar Solar and Roofing, we believe that the company you choose for your solar installation...
Safety Differences Between Lithium-Ion Batteries and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Batteries
While I was sitting in my office, drinking my morning coffee and preparing for the day, I had the local morning news on and saw a report on two more local fires (Chula Vista and Miramar) caused by lithium batteries. The Fire Marshal tried to explain what makes these...
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MAILING ADDRESS
1526 Sterling Court
Escondido, CA 92029
United States
CONTACT INFO
+1 (760) 504-0388
Lic #945152
C10 Licensed Electrical Contractor
C39 Licensed Roofing Contractor
At Palomar, no part of your project is sub-contracted. The dedicated staff at Palomar Solar will handle every aspect of your project from start to finish. Our team will draw plans, obtain city or county permits, install and have your system interconnected with your utility provider.
To schedule a no pressure consultation, please complete the form below.
No Part Of Your Project Is Subcontracted
Per-Panel Monitor On Every System
Solutions Customized To Your Needs
The Palomar Difference
Per-Panel Monitoring
What sets Palomar Solar apart? We include per panel monitoring, for all our clients at no extra charge. True per panel monitoring is the only way to hold all parties accountable for your systems full production potential.