Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
A rooftop solar array could give you a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Switching to solar energy can allow you to save money and reduce your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we put together a guide to the most reliable solar companies in Eureka. These providers consistently deliver excellent service.
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Services Offered
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Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could lower your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when looking at local solar installers are as follows.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct types 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 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 on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's reliability and customer service. Avoid providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact 3–5 solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly explain all costs and list the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the best value based on your budget.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar energy can help decrease your electricity costs in the long run. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
The average Eureka homeowner will spend around $7,877 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Eureka cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 3.2 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees, and will account for your system's panel type, size, and capacity. Some homeowners prefer to lease their 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 appliance or system in your home. A more specific example is installing a solar heating system for your water.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, save money, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have a wide time window to install your panels, though they won't reach peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the savings and environmental benefits of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Many solar contractors in the Eureka area offer low-cost maintenance plans to help you keep your panels healthy and make the most of your system.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to receive compensation for the amount of energy they put back into the grid. It's available in most states and is a great way to reduce energy costs.
