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 could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Solar power can cut your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a qualified solar installer. Luckily, we've done the research and created a guide to the best and most reputable solar installation providers in Gilroy.
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could cut 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.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly 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, a contractor 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 Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties show that a company is confident in its work.
Going solar can help decrease your energy expenses over time. Be sure to weigh these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
The average Gilroy homeowner will spend around $7,249 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Gilroy cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 3.0 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor, and will account for your system's capacity, panel type, and size. Some homeowners prefer to lease 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) array can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
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 savings and environmental benefits of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 Gilroy amount to $1,053.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Gilroy, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 6.9 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
The specific types of maintenance you need will depend on the type of panels you're using. Regardless of type, you should clean your panels regularly and inspect them for damage. Many solar contractors in the Gilroy area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
The answer will depend on your specific needs and goals. In most cases, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for homes in Gilroy. However, if you have a limited budget, then you may want to consider thin-film or polycrystalline solar panels. When selecting a solar company, make sure to ask about the types of solar panels a contractor offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar panels are becoming more popular for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
