Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Garden Acres residents. Transitioning to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. Luckily, we've done the research and created a guide to the best and most dependable solar installation providers in Garden Acres.
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
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 reduce your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five specific types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact 3–5 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 most cost-effective option for you.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's faith in its installations.
Solar energy can help decrease your electricity costs long-term. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
In Garden Acres, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.0 kilowatts. The typical Garden Acres homeowner spends $7,350 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information based on your desired system's size, panel type, capacity, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system 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 energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
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 Garden Acres amount to $1,050.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, the average sunlight in your area, and their rated capacity. Garden Acres has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your state or utility offers net metering, you can send the solar energy you don't use to the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
While solar energy might not be ideal for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could increase your property's solar viability enough where you could achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
Yes, solar panels will still be able to supply you with energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system can keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider and look for a solar system that includes a battery backup.
