Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Chelsea homes. Adopting solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we assembled a guide to the most reliable solar companies in Chelsea. These installers consistently deliver dependable quality service.
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
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Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
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:
Installing solar panels can reduce your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. Alabama licenses solar contractors with similar requirements to other electrical professionals. They must have a minimum of 4 years of in-the-field experience and submit an application with the state's Electrical Contractors Board.
Check review sites like Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar installer that works with your budget, ask for free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the best value.
High-quality solar installations should include robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's faith in its installations.
Solar energy can help reduce your electric bills over time. When evaluating the total price and value of solar panels, make sure to consider these factors.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the technology being used. The average solar system in Chelsea has a capacity of 9.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,490 per kilowatt; the average Chelsea homeowners spends roughly $22,070 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for factors such as the panel type, size, and capacity of the planned system, and should include fees for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees.
Incentive Type: Personal Tax Deduction
Incentive Amount:
100%
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar panels, 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 what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in Alabama being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't achieve peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Chelsea, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 10.8 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
With respect to taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. For insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should speak with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
The answer depends on your specific needs and goals. Generally speaking, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for Chelsea homes. However, if you have a limited budget, then you could thin-film or polycrystalline solar panels. When you're choosing a contractor, make sure to ask about the brand names and models of solar panels an installer offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
