Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more Altadena residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Transitioning to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we compiled a guide to the most dependable solar companies in Altadena. These companies consistently deliver dependable quality service.
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
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 evaluating if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five distinct levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, a contractor must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact 3–5 solar companies to get free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and list the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Quality solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty covers any installation defects (such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Switching to solar power can help reduce your energy expenses. Be sure to evaluate these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Altadena solar array has a capacity of 2.8 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Altadena homeowners spends roughly $6,920 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 installer will account for things like the capacity, size, and panel type of the planned system, and should include fees for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees.
Incentive Amount:
Eligible products can be financed for up to 25 years, depending on the useful life of the eligible product.
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Incentive Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
Incentive Amount:
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Incentive Amount:
Step 1 Incentive Rates (contact utility to determine current incentive levels):
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, save money, and raise your property values. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also provide you with further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, which means you can reap the savings and environmental benefits that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will decrease significantly after you install solar panels. This is because you're using the energy you generate for free rather than buying it from your power company. In Altadena, the average amount someone can save is $856 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on their rated capacity, the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and the average sunlight in your area. Altadena has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 8.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Yes, solar panels can still provide you with energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system will keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
The best type of residential solar panel will depend on your specific needs and goals. Generally, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for Altadena homes. However, if lowering cost is your top priority, then you may want to consider polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When you're gathering estimates, make sure to ask about the types of solar panels a contractor offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar energy can be more efficient than other forms of renewable energy. They have inexpensive upkeep and today's systems can generate and manage energy under more conditions.
