%25201.jpeg)
HGTV's home flipping star Tarek El Moussa has teamed up with Tempe-based Gryphon Roofing and Remodeling to help homeowners reduce utility costs.
El Moussa's solar firm, Soar Energy, has been lining up partners since moving to Scottsdale from California earlier this year.
This summer, Soar Energy hired Tampa-based Better Earth to install its solar systems on homeowners' rooftops. Now, the company is partnering with Gryphon Roofing to help homeowners take advantage of federal tax credits.
Residents can receive a federal tax credit of up to 30% if their roof needs to be replaced while installing their system, and they can also be reimbursed by Arizona Public Service Co. for excess power that is produced and not used, said Brian Decker, CEO of Soar Energy.
"People don't know that," Decker said. "There's a complete lack of education within the industry. That's why we started Soar."
Soar was founded in 2022, by Tarek and Heather El Moussa, along with Shelby Elias. It operates in California, Florida and Texas in addition to Arizona.
Arizona ranks among the top five states in total solar-powered generating capacity from utility and small-scale installations, with more than 5,483 megawatts, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The Arizona residential sector consumes more electricity than 75% of states and more per capita than 70% of the other states, according to the administration's data system.
Other solar firms usually will offer homeowners their list of preferred roofing vendors, without much research, Decker said.
"We wanted to change that," he said. "We wanted to find the longest standing roofing company that understands high-level customer satisfaction and understands not just roofing but the whole home. Gryphon has been in business almost 30 years."
Gryphon's president and CEO, Russel Hyman, is immediate past president of the Arizona Roofing Contractors Association.
Before a roof is replaced or a solar system installed, Soar Energy will conduct a home energy assessment to determine where the home is wasting energy.
"Seventy percent of heated and cooled air escapes to the roof due to poor attic insulation," Decker said.
Smart vents can shut off when people aren't in a room, so the entire house isn't being heated or cooled, Decker said, and that can reduce 30% to 50% of energy use.
By making all these changes to make a house more energy efficient, homeowners save money and may be able to use a smaller, more affordable solar system, saving even more money, he said.
