Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for Cloverdale homeowners. A solar panel array can help you decrease your carbon footprint, add value to your property, and provide a dependable source of power. Making the transition to solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar installers and compiled a guide to the best solar companies in Cloverdale. These trusted providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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:
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 researching local solar installers are as follows.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, a contractor must take 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), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from three to five solar companies. The quotes should outline all costs and identify the solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the most cost-effective option.
Quality solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Going solar can help reduce your electric bills over time. When considering the total price and value of solar panels, be sure to consider these factors.
The average Cloverdale homeowner will spend around $7,496 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Cloverdale 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 labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's capacity, panel type, and size. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
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 achieve 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 Cloverdale, 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.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Cloverdale, 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 per season. Your solar contractor might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance on your behalf.
While solar energy is a valuable option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, a contractor might recommend other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or geothermal power, as a primary source. It is also important to speak to a qualified installer to determine if their solar system is compatible with the climate and environment of your area. Even if you choose a different form of renewable energy altogether, you'll still help the environment and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
Solar energy is on par with other forms of renewable energy. They have low maintenance costs and today's systems can generate and manage energy under more conditions.
