Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
A solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Solar power can cut your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to select a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing providers, we compiled a guide to the most reputable solar companies in Chico. These installers consistently deliver dependable quality service.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
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:
Going solar can be a great way to save money on electricity costs and help the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating if a solar installer is trustworthy.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five specific types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see feedback from past customers about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with installers that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. These quotes should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. A performance warranty guarantees a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The average Chico homeowner will spend around $7,626 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Chico cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 3.1 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor, and will account for your system's size, capacity, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels in order to reduce upfront costs.
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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, raise your property values, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on where you live and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't hit peak performance until summer arrives.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will significantly decrease 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 Chico, 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.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Chico has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.2 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should clean your panels regularly and inspect them for damage. Many solar contractors in the Chico area offer comprehensive maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
The most common types of home solar panels in Chico include polycrystalline, thin-film and monocrystalline. 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.
