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Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Year after year, more El Cajon residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Adopting solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar installers and compiled a guide to the best solar companies in El Cajon. These trusted providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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 cut your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is right for you, consider these key factors.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done properly 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 experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check TrustPilot, Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact at least three solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance guarantee ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.
Solar can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
In El Cajon, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 2.8 kilowatts. The typical El Cajon homeowner spends $6,837 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will factor in additional information reflecting your desired system's panel type, size, capacity, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may 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 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
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 Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system 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 water heating system.
There are a number of advantages of home solar energy. You can raise your property values, qualify for tax benefits, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also provide you with additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny El Cajon, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 7.4 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
While solar energy is an ideal 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 lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
Solar energy can be more efficient than other forms of renewable energy. They have low maintenance costs and today's systems can work in a variety of conditions.
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