Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for Fountain Valley homeowners. A new solar energy system can help you provide a dependable source of power, decrease your carbon footprint, and add value to your property. Adopting solar energy can allow you to save money and reduce your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we've done the research and assembled a guide to the best and most reputable solar installation companies in Fountain Valley.
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
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:
Installing solar panels can cut your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When evaluating 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 types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, an installer must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Look at review platforms such as TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to find out what previous customers say about local solar providers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s trustworthiness and customer service. Avoid companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar panels can help reduce your electricity costs in the long run. When considering solar panel's cost and value, be sure to factor in these considerations.
The cost of home solar panels in Fountain Valley varies depending on several factors, including the area and generating capacity of your panel array and the type of panels you'll use. Generally speaking, a complete solar energy system could range from $3,470 per kilowatt, not including labor, preliminary work, or permit fees. Most solar systems in Fountain Valley are 2.9 kilowatts, and the typical Fountain Valley homeowners spends $7,006 after accounting for federal tax refunds. Some homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels and 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar panels, 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.
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 Fountain Valley, the average amount someone can save is $751 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 quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Fountain Valley, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 9.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
Your recommended maintenance will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel once a quarter. Your solar contractor might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Some frequently-used types of home solar panels in Fountain Valley include polycrystalline, thin-film and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
Solar panels are becoming more relevant than ever for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
