Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Every year, more Capitola residents adopt rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and lower their carbon footprint. Going solar can help cut your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar installers and put together a guide to the best solar companies in Capitola. These proven and dependable providers are reliable options known for their quality services.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
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 lower utility bills while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re deciding whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. There are five distinct levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. A performance warranty ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show 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 your system's capacity and the solar technology being used. The average solar system in Capitola has a capacity of 3.1 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Capitola homeowners spends roughly $7,464 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for things like the size, capacity, and panel type of the planned system, and should include fees for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work.
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) array can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California 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 Capitola 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.
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 Capitola, the average amount someone can save is $1,053 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
Yes. Solar panels are independent of the Capitola grid and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Bear in mind, however, that a solar system without a storage system cannot keep you running through a nighttime outage. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
The answer depends on your specific needs and goals. For a typical home, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for houses in Capitola. However, if lowering cost is your top priority, then you may want to consider thin-film or polycrystalline solar panels. When selecting a solar company, make sure to ask about the different types of solar panels a contractor offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
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.
