Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Year after year, more Auburn residents turn to rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Making the transition to solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar installers and put together a guide to the best solar companies in Auburn. These reliable providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on solar companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Putting solar panels on your roof could cut your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when researching local solar installers are as follows.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. Alabama issues licenses to solar contractors with similar requirements to other electrical professionals. They must have at least 4 years of field experience and file an application with the state's Electrical Contractors Board.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. These quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. A performance warranty ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help reduce your electricity costs long-term. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
The cost of solar panels varies based on system capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Auburn solar array has a capacity of 8.9 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,490 per kilowatt; the average Auburn homeowners spends roughly $21,715 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for things like the capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include prices for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work.
Incentive Type: Personal Tax Deduction
Incentive Amount:
100%
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. A more specific example is installing a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in Alabama being very mild, you have a wide time window to install your panels, though they won't achieve peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the savings and environmental benefits that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your installer can give you an estimate of what your energy bills will look like after you install solar panels. Generally, your energy bills will decrease significantly because you'll be using energy from the sun for free, instead of buying energy from the utility company. The average annual savings in Auburn amount to $1,944.
While solar energy might not be ideal for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could boost your property's solar viability enough where you could achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
Of course. Solar panels exist independently from the power grid in Auburn and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system won't take you through a nighttime outage if you don't have a storage system. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
