Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Every year, more Ashland homeowners turn to rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and lower their carbon footprint. Making the switch to solar power can help cut your utility bills and lower your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a trustworthy installation company first. That’s why we’ve reviewed the options and compiled a guide to the most trustworthy solar installation companies in Ashland. These top companies offer high-quality and dependable services.
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Family-operated business
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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 reduce utility bills while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re determining whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. There are five specific levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Look at review platforms such as TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar companies. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s reliability and customer service. Be cautious of companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should explain all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
High-quality solar installations should have robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong warranties reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar energy is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
In Ashland, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.0 kilowatts. The typical Ashland homeowner spends $7,314 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information based on your desired system's required preliminary work, size, panel type, and capacity. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
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.
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.
Absolutely. The grid in Ashland 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 payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on their rated capacity, the average sunlight in your area, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Ashland has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 6.9 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
The maintenance you'll need to do will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel once per season. Your solar contractor might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
While solar energy might not be the best performing choice for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could increase your property's solar viability enough to 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.
The answer depends on your specific needs and goals. Generally speaking, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for homes in Ashland. However, if you're looking at a more frugal option, then you could polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When selecting a solar company, make sure to ask about the different types of solar panels an installer offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
