Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more Desert Hot Springs residents install rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to choose a qualified solar installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar providers and compiled a guide to the best solar companies in Desert Hot Springs. These trusted providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Family-operated business
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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:
Installing solar panels can reduce your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When evaluating if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
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 levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor 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 TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have barely any reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar installer that works with your budget, ask for free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the most cost-effective option.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels), 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. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
In Desert Hot Springs, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 2.8 kilowatts. The typical Desert Hot Springs homeowner spends $6,803 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information based on your desired system's size, capacity, required preliminary work, and panel type. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing 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 water heating system.
With home solar PV, 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.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Desert Hot Springs, your best time to get solar is in the spring and fall.
Your installer can give you an estimate of what your energy bills will look like after you install solar panels. Generally, your energy bills will decrease significantly because you'll be using energy from the sun for free, instead of buying energy from the utility company. The average annual savings in Desert Hot Springs amount to $752.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on 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. Desert Hot Springs has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 9.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
While solar energy might not be ideal for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could boost your property's solar viability enough to achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
The answer ultimately depends on your specific situation. You'll be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the system's cost, as well as state or local incentives depending on where you are. As for insurance, you'll need to inform your insurance company about your new solar panels. Your premium may increase due to added property values, but you'll have peace of mind if a covered event happens to the system.
Solar panels are becoming more popular 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.
