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 energy is becoming increasingly popular for Golden Hills homeowners. A rooftop solar array can help you provide a dependable source of power, decrease your carbon footprint, and add value to your property. Going solar helps cut your utility bills and lower your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a trustworthy installation company first. That’s why we’ve reviewed the options and compiled a guide to the most reliable solar Installers in Golden Hills. These top installers consistently deliver high-quality and dependable services.
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
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 helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when looking at local solar installers are as follows.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five different levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor 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.
Look at review platforms such as TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar companies. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s reliability and customer service. Avoid companies lacking reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Get free, detailed quotes from three to five solar companies. The quotes should outline all costs and identify the solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty covers installation defects, such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the solar technology being used. The typical Golden Hills solar array has a capacity of 2.9 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Golden Hills homeowners spends roughly $7,037 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for things like the panel type, size, and capacity of the planned system, and should include prices for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work.
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. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can raise your property values, reduce emissions, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
Yes. The grid in Golden Hills already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
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 Golden Hills amount to $902.
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. Golden Hills has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.8 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
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 every three months. Your solar energy company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance on your behalf.
The best type of residential solar panel depends on your specific needs and goals. Generally speaking, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for Golden Hills homes. However, if you're looking at a more frugal option, then you could polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When selecting a solar company, make sure to ask about the types of solar panels a company offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
