Fire code compatibility is becoming an increasingly more important piece of good solar system design. It is important to work with a solar installer who knows the local codes and who can bring your project to fruition without change orders.

As our region sees more and more rooftops covered with solar panels, local permitting offices are implementing stricter fire codes. These fire codes ensure that firefighters have enough roof space to safely address fires in homes or businesses. An increasing number of local permitting offices are making sure that rescue personnel can walk on the roof without walking on panels and that firefighters can punch through the roof if needed for ventilation. This is accomplished by issuing design guidelines on where roof-mounted panels can be installed.

Mountain View Solar is now starting the design for every residential system to follow the 2018 International Fire Code. This is a key piece of good design, so each project is compatible with the local permitting guidelines for quick permitting approval. Of course, our team monitors all permitting guidelines from local municipalities and counties to allow for additional panels to be added to the roof if the 2018 International Fire Code has not yet been locally adopted.

Some key elements of the 2018 International Fire Code are:

– For PV arrays occupying less than 33% of the plan view total roof area, an 18″ setback is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge. For PV arrays occupying more than 33% of the plan view total roof area, not less than a 36″ clear setback is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge

– For each roof plane with a PV array, a pathway not less than 36″ wide will be provided from lowest roof edge to ridge on the same roof plane as the array, on an adjacent roof plane, or straddling the same and adjacent roof planes

– PV panels shall not be placed on portions of roof that are below an emergency escape or rescue opening (such as a window with a roof plane below it)

– There are many more requirements to meet the fire code and many are building specific as different classifications of buildings have different applicable fire codes and our team is here to guide your system through every step of the way for the best customized design from day one

Our team performs all residential designs internally by our experienced, professional staff. A key piece of the quality of Mountain View Solar projects is that we monitor design requirements of all local municipalities and counties to ensure each project is appropriately designed from the beginning. As the 2018 Fire Code is increasingly adopted as a design requirement for fire safety, we will continue to offer the best design practices to homeowners.

We love having Colleen Wood and Hannah Ehlman on board helping homeowners go solar in our communities. Colleen and Hannah are our newest Solar PV Consultants, joining our team just this past Spring. New to the solar industry, but each with a strong platform in working with people, they dove into training and preparation immediately. As a result – both Colleen and Hannah earned their Solar PV Associate Certification through the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

Colleen is thrilled to have recently joined the MTV Solar team! Having grown up with a solar water heating system on her childhood roof, Colleen has always been fascinated by the sun’s energy. Her interest in science led her to obtain a degree in Industrial Engineering, which she put to use for many years working for NASA. Always interested in breaking into the solar industry, she was tickled when she learned that her friend, Danny Chiotos, was recruiting for Solar PV sales at Mountain View.

When not at work, you can find Colleen volunteering with her son’s high school marching band. GO BEARS!

Hannah joined the mtvSolar team in April 2021 driven by her interest in sustainability, and passion for community. She plans to dive deep into solar education via Solar Energy International as well as NABCEP training courses in preparation for further certifications.

Hannah is quick on her toes, and eager to help you help yourself by installing solar! When she isn’t working in the office, she loves to spend time with her two dogs. Hiking in the mountains makes her soul happy. When the warm weather hits, you can find Hannah in the woods backpacking. She also has an education in Fine Arts from Frostburg State University allowing a fresh and creative perspective on PV design.

Colleen and Hannah have each developed several solar projects with homeowners in the Mid-Atlantic and are both excited to move solar forward in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia using their NABCEP Associate Certifications to ensure quality projects from start to finish.

Mountain View Solar is excited to partner with the Board of Fishermen’s Hall in Charles Town, West Virginia to launch our newest Community Give Back Program.  This Fishermen’s Hall Program is our first Program in Jefferson County and our only active Program in WV’s three far Eastern Panhandle Counties.  This Program will utilize the innovative install one, give one structure where every time a homeowner or business owner installs solar with us, we will assign a donated solar panel (at no cost either the non-profit or the homeowner / business owner) to the non-profit of their choice.  This community-supported model is quickly becoming a leading way that small non-profits in our communities are going solar and we are excited to launch this newest Program with Fishermen’s Hall.

“We are so excited to be given the opportunity to add needed green technology to our historic building and low income neighborhood.” said Daphne Wahl, President of the Fishermen’s Hall Board of Directors.

Fishermen’s Hall was founded by formerly enslaved residents of Jefferson County during Reconstruction as a way to encourage black wealth and continues to be a black-run community space in Charles Town.  This building was built in 1885 by the Galilean Order of the Fishermen serving organizations such as The Star Lodge Masons, John Brown Elks, Knights of Pythias, American Legion Post #63, and local church services.  Recently, the building was restored by the African American Community Association of Jefferson County to serve as an event space, meeting space, and community center for Jefferson County residents.

With the success of this Program, the Board of Fishermen’s Hall will be able to model sustainability to showcase the impact solar can make so the organization can generate its own electricity and will be able to reduce its electric bills to dedicate more resources into serving the local community.  To participate in this Program and grow the Fishermen’s Hall solar array, simply complete our solar interest form and we will be in touch with you to provide a no-cost proposal for solar on your home or business.

” Mountain View Solar is delighted to partner with such a historically important landmark and support Fishermen Hall’s enduring opportunities to support the local community ” said Mike McKechnie, President and Founder of Mountain View Solar.

For more information on Fishermen’s Hall, please follow the below links:
The Clio
WV Press
Jefferson County Black History Preservation Society site and article including background on FIshermen Hall

[Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, July 21, 2021] — The U.S. solar industry is on the upswing, thanks to a pro-renewables presidential administration and increased concern over climate change. Mountain View Solar has had a front-row seat to this action, with business increasing over the last year. Solar Power World has recognized the company’s installation success by ranking Mountain View Solar at the below listed rankings on the 2021 Top Solar Contractors list.

• Number 1 Solar Contractor in West Virginia, Number 20 Solar Contractor in Maryland, and Number 31 Solar Contractor in Virginia
• Number 61 Solar + Storage Contractor in the Nation
• Number 107 Rooftop Solar Contractor in the Nation
• Number 120 Residential Solar Contractor in the Nation
• Number 283 Solar Contractor in the Nation

The Top Solar Contractors list is developed each year by Solar Power World to honor the work of solar installers in the United States. Solar firms in the utility, commercial and residential markets are ranked by number of kilowatts installed in the previous year. Companies are grouped and listed by specific service, markets and states.

“Not even COVID-19 closures and slowdowns could prevent the solar industry from installing fantastic numbers last year,” said Kelly Pickerel, editor in chief of Solar Power World. “The Solar Power World team is so glad to recognize over 400 companies on the 2021 Top Solar Contractors list that not only survived a pandemic but thrived in spite of it.”

The U.S. solar industry grew 43% in 2020, installing more solar panels on homes, businesses and across the country than any other year on record. The residential market saw an 11% increase, which is remarkable considering the difficulties of maneuvering home solar projects through pandemic precautions. During the past year, Mountain View Solar has added employees and services while continuing to expand renewable energy generation in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia

The federal government passed a two-year extension on the solar investment tax credit (ITC) at the end of 2020, which will further accelerate solar adoption across all market segments. After installing 19.2 GW in 2020, research firm Wood Mackenzie expects the U.S. solar market to quadruple by 2030.

Mountain View Solar employs more than thirty-five workers who, since its founding in 2009, have installed more than 12-megawatts of solar. Mountain View Solar continues to be our region’s leader in custom, local, and quality solar and battery installations throughout the residential, non-profit, public, and commercial setting.

“Our entire team is proud to be a part of expanding clean energy right here at home,” said Mountain View Solar’s President Mike McKechnie. “As we look to the coming years of rapid growth in renewable energy, we are looking forward to opening up more employment opportunities for local residents and towards being a part of making good projects happen.”

About Solar Power World

Solar Power World is the leading online and print resource for news and information regarding solar installation, development and technology. Since 2011, SPW has helped U.S. solar contractors — including installers, developers and EPCs in all markets — grow their businesses and do their jobs better.

Community supported solar is now live and working in Capon Bridge, West Virginia at The River House. Through an innovative partnership with The River House, Mountain View Solar have completed our first Community Give Back solar project. Every time a homeowner or business owner installed solar with us, they have the option to assign a donated panel (at no added cost to them) to a partner Community Give Back non-profit organization. In this project, enough people assigned their donated panel to The River House to fill their roof with solar. With $0 paid for the entire project, The River House is now generating electricity from a full roof of twenty-four solar panels.

The River House is Mountain View Solar’s flagship Community Give Back Program and was the location where we installed our first fully donated community-supported array. The River House has been an active champion of solar through holding events and spreading the word about this Community Give Back Program since its launch more than three years ago. As a key hub of arts and community in Hampshire County (with an amazing café!), The River House has been an ideal partner. The River House is a non-profit organization which would not benefit from incentives such as the federal tax credit without available funds to purchase a solar array (funds are directed into implementing its mission), this no-cost program was the perfect way to implement solar.

“It feels really good to incorporate renewable energy as a part of who we are as we strive to be green. This project means that the people in the community supported in our program with their own solar installations to give back to us. This solar system will help save money on our electric bill which seems like a simple thing, but every dollar matters to us, being a non-profit.” said Executive Director Johanna Murray.

See the history of this project below:

• We installed eight panels, the inverter, and all system racking with a ribbon cutting event and Solar Open House event in October 2018
• We added two panels and spoke with students from Capon Bridge Middle School on what solar is and solar as a career to explore in April 2019
• We added five panels and spoke with the Frederick County, VA Economic Development Authority to profile careers in the solar industry in September 2020
• We completed this project in April 2021 – woo hoo!

We are grateful for the below list of panel donors who went solar with us:

• Ralph Priesing
• Booth Dyess and Ibi Hindrichs
• Donna Catt and Marlene Gallo
• Andy & Jane Arnold
• Rick Purvis and Shelley Alger
• Geoffry Wendel
• Glenn & Carolyn Bland
• Roya Milotte
• Terry Mayhew
• Fertig Farm
• Tim and Beth Reese
• Wood House Research
• Sarah and Richard Bell
• Richard Miles
• Sunit Patel
• Lou Martin
• Anonymous Donor

We are now engaged with the Capon Bridge Public Library to explore the next Community Give Back project in Capon Bridge as a part of our ongoing commitment to spread no-cost solar to small and medium sized organizations in our communities. In addition, we are glad to continue our active Community Give Back Programs with the Friendsville (MD) Renewable Energy Effort which has currently brought the installation of a no-cost system at the Friendsville Fire Department, the Kids Club and the Laurel Center in Winchester which both have no-cost systems up and running that are being added to, and the Wardensville Garden Market which has an active Program.

Read more about our Community Give Back Program here and sign up here for your free, friendly, and professional solar estimate here so you can be a part of expanding no-cost solar to local non-profit organizations.

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