Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Claremont homeowners. Adopting solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after conducting thorough research on providers, we compiled a guide to the most reliable solar companies in Claremont. These companies have a reputation for dependable quality service.
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
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:
Going solar can be a great way to reduce electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some key factors to consider when determining whether a solar installer is reliable.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. 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. For a contractor to earn a license, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Avoid companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact at least three solar companies to get free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help lower your electricity costs over time. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the technology used. The average solar system in Claremont has a capacity of 2.8 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Claremont homeowners spends about $6,920 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for things like the size, panel type, and capacity of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, labor, 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
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 Claremont, the average amount someone can save is $751 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
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. Claremont has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 9.2 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
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.
When it comes to taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. As for insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should consult with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
Some frequently-used types of home solar panels in Claremont include monocrystalline, thin-film and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while polycrystalline and thin-film panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about what kinds of solar panels they work with.
