Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
A new solar energy system will provide you with a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Adopting solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and compiled a guide to the most reputable solar installation companies in Fresno. These top installers offer high-quality and dependable services.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners reduce utility bills while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. There are five distinct levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company that fits your budget, get free, detailed quotes from three to five providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty covers installation issues, such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties show that a solar company believes in its work.
Going solar can help lower your energy expenses over time. Be sure to weigh these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
The average Fresno homeowner will spend around $7,234 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Fresno cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 3.0 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work, and will account for your system's size, capacity, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease their solar panels in order 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
There are a number of advantages of home solar energy. You can save money, raise your property values, and qualify for tax benefits. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't reach peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, you can 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 environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
The specific required maintenance steps will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel four times a year. Your solar contractor might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Ultimately, the answer will depend on your specific situation. You can take advantage of 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 notify your insurer 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 energy can be more efficient than other forms of renewable energy. They have inexpensive upkeep and today's systems can work in a variety of conditions.
