Easements are a tricky subject in real estate, as you may not see the impact of many of them. Despite that, they play a key part in many aspects of your home, like your electrical and gas bills. Though you own the property, your utility companies own the pipes and have easements on your property to provide you with their services.
One sort of easement, though, helps homeowners protect a very different resource: sunlight.
Solar power in the Sunshine State
Florida sees an average of 237 days of sunny days, which makes solar panels an attractive investment. In order for your panels to work, they need plenty of sunlight at peak hours. If something like a new building or a planted tree blocks the sunlight — you do not generate electricity.
Your right to Florida sunlight
A solar easement is an agreement that helps protect access to this sunlight. Florida solar easements include descriptions of the protected angles and how the easement of sunlight falls over neighboring properties. It may also establish provisions for compensation if someone blocks your solar panels from receiving sunlight in those described ranges.
Whether you are a first-time homeowner purchasing a house with solar panels pre-installed, a current homeowner considering a solar panel investment or someone who owns many houses with this technology, a solar easement may benefit you in the long term. With documentation like this, it is important to learn more about your property, your unique situation and what legal language works best to keep your solar panels in the sun.
