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 February 2024
A solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a qualified solar installer. That’s why, after properly vetting providers, we put together a guide to the most reputable solar companies in Burlingame. These providers have a reputation for dependable quality service.
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Family-operated business
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could reduce your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when looking at local solar installers are as follows.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This ensures that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, an installer must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar providers. Detailed reviews can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should explain all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers any installation defects (such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar energy can help reduce your energy expenses. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Burlingame homeowners typically spend about $7,454 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Burlingame cost approximately $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 3.1 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for preliminary work, permit fees, and labor, and will account for your system's panel type, capacity, and size. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels in order 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 property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
Yes. The grid in Burlingame 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 Burlingame amount to $1,053.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Burlingame, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 7.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
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 a quarter. Your solar installer might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Some frequently-used types of home solar panels in Burlingame include monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while polycrystalline and thin-film panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
Solar panels are gaining wider adoption for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
