Mike Kelly had been interested in solar for years but was consistently told it wasn’t possible due to his cedar shake roof, which posed installation risks. In 2024, after storm damage forced him to replace his roof with asphalt shingles, he decided it was finally time to revisit solar and called us about a residential solar installation.
His roofing company, ProResto, recommended ilumen Solar as a trusted solar partner. From the start, we focused on tailoring a system that fit Mike’s home and unique needs, ensuring a smooth transition into solar energy.
Mike’s stone exterior presented a challenge—without a smooth surface or clean gutter line, a traditional conduit installation would have been highly visible. To maintain the home’s aesthetic, our team engineered a fully hidden conduit solution, which involved:
At the same time, the 16.8 kW solar system design went through multiple iterations to balance:
By maintaining constant collaboration between our engineering team, project managers, and Mike, we delivered a solar system that was both powerful and seamlessly integrated.
One of the biggest challenges of this project was trenching 15 feet to the meter while ensuring minimal disruption to the property. The presence of underground piping, outdoor lighting wiring, and irrigation lines added complexity to the process. Careful planning was essential to navigate these elements without causing damage. The team adjusted the trenching route as needed and dedicated extra labor to ensure a precise, clean installation. Despite these hurdles, we successfully completed the trench, preserving Mike’s landscaping and maintaining the integrity of his outdoor space.
With a fully operational 16.8 kW solar system, Mike now enjoys the benefits of clean energy while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of his home. Check out the photo gallery below to see how we designed and installed a seamless, high-performance solar system for Mike’s home—blending clean energy with smart, discreet engineering.
Here’s what Mike had to say about his experience with ilumen Solar when leaving a 5 star review:
Ilumen installed a new solar system (16.8 kW system) at my home.
It started with an initial analysis by Zach. He did a great job describing the benefits of solar and designing a system for my home. Zach is a straightforward, honest and proactive professional. Unlike other less reputable providers, he didn’t try to talk me into decisions that were not economical or in my best interest. Zach’s integrity demonstrated throughout the quote process was what led me to hire ilumen to design and build my system.
He and his team (Dilip and Dan) were great throughout the execution of the project. They openly and frequently communicated progress, what was needed from me (home access, signatures for permits, input into decisions, etc.). They also were great at educating me about solar, my system, and how it all works.
I would certainly hire Zach and his team at ilumen again and recommend them to others.
Zach, Dan and Dilip - thanks again for all of your hard work!”
Mike’s project is proof that with the right expertise, even challenging homes can go solar. If you’re exploring solar energy but have concerns about your home’s design, let’s talk.
