Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in Brea. A rooftop solar array can help you add value to your property, provide a dependable source of power, and decrease your carbon footprint. 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 reviewed the options and compiled a guide to the best and most reliable solar installation providers in Brea.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
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 cut utility bills while benefiting the planet 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.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct classifications 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 field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and TrustPilot to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company 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. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy is great for helping 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 system capacity and the technology used. The average solar system in Brea has a capacity of 2.9 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Brea homeowners spends roughly $7,006 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for things like the panel type, size, and capacity of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor.
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 smallest 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 gain additional energy independence.
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 Brea amount to $775.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Brea, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 9.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to receive bill credits or payments 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.
While solar energy is a great option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, you could consider other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or geothermal power, as a primary source. It is also important to speak to a qualified installer to determine if their solar system is compatible with the climate and environment of your area. Even if you choose a different form of renewable energy altogether, you'll still lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
Some frequently-used types of home solar panels in Brea include polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
