Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in Clayton. A new solar energy system can help you provide a dependable source of power, decrease your carbon footprint, and add value to your property. Going solar helps cut your utility bills and shrink your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a reputable installation company first. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we put together a guide to the most trusted solar companies in Clayton. These providers offer dependable quality service.
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
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 cut your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when researching local solar installers are as follows.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. There are five specific 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 experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Look at review platforms such as TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to find out what previous customers are saying about local solar installers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s dependability and customer service. Be wary of companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
To find a solar company that works with your budget, get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee addresses any installation defects (such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar energy is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the technology being used. The typical Clayton solar array has a capacity of 3.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Clayton homeowners spends about $7,395 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, capacity, and panel type 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 panels, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Absolutely. The grid in Clayton 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 Clayton, 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 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 rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and the average sunlight in your area. Clayton has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your state or utility offers net metering, you can sell the solar energy you don't use to the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
The best type of residential solar panel depends on your specific needs and goals. For a typical home, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for Clayton homes. 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 brand names and models of solar panels a company offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar panels are becoming more relevant than ever for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
