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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
A rooftop solar array will provide you with a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Making the switch to solar power helps cut your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a trustworthy installation company first. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar installers and compiled a guide to the best solar companies in Decatur. These reputable providers are reliable options known for their quality services.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners cut utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. Alabama issues licenses to solar contractors similarly to electricians. They must have a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience and apply with the state's Electrical Contractors Board.
Check Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's reliability and customer service. Stay away from companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact three to five solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance warranty ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.
Solar power can help reduce your electricity costs over time. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to factor in these considerations.
In Decatur, solar panels cost an average of $3,490 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 9.3 kilowatts. The typical Decatur homeowner spends $22,806 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information reflecting your desired system's size, panel type, required preliminary work, and capacity. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Type: Personal Tax Deduction
Incentive Amount:
100%
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. A more specific example is installing a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Yes. The grid in Decatur already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
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 Decatur amount to $946.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. The sun shines frequently in Decatur, meaning your payback period could last 24.1 years per 5 kW of capacity on the high end.
Your recommended maintenance will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. With any system, you should clean and inspect each panel every three months. Your solar energy company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Some frequently-used types of home solar panels in Decatur include thin-film, monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about which solar panels they work with.