Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Montgomery residents. Making the switch to solar power helps cut your utility bills and shrink your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a reputable installation company first. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most reliable solar installation companies in Montgomery.
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
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Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
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 lower your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. Alabama issues licenses to solar contractors with similar requirements to electricians. They must have at least 4 years of relevant experience and apply with the state's Electrical Contractors Board.
Check review sites like TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to see feedback from past customers about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with installers 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 3–5 providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the best value.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology being used. The average solar system in Montgomery has a capacity of 8.7 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,490 per kilowatt; the average Montgomery homeowners spends about $21,348 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for things like the panel type, capacity, and size of the planned system, and should include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees.
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. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar PV, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in Alabama being very mild, you have a wide time window to install your panels, though they won't reach peak performance until summer arrives.
Absolutely. The grid in Montgomery 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.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Montgomery, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 10.7 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
The specific required maintenance steps will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel four times a year. Your solar energy company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to get paid for the amount of energy they put back into the grid. It's available in most states and is a great way to reduce energy costs.
