Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more Downey residents adopt rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Adopting solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most dependable solar installation providers in Downey.
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
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 reduce 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 reliable.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five different levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, 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 providers. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a provider's reliability and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact at least three solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and list the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar energy can help lower your electricity costs over time. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the technology used. The average solar system in Downey has a capacity of 2.8 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Downey homeowners spends roughly $6,920 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for things like the capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include prices for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees.
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) array can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar PV, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Absolutely. The grid in Downey 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.
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 Downey amount to $751.
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 Downey area offer low-cost maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Regarding 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. Regarding insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should speak with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
