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 rooftop solar array will provide you with a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Going solar helps cut your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we compiled a guide to the most dependable solar companies in Highland. These companies consistently deliver dependable quality service.
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
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:
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 researching local solar installers are as follows.
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 specific levels 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), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company that fits your budget, ask for free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees demonstrate a company's confidence 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.
The cost of home solar panels in Highland varies depending on several factors, including your system's expected capacity and the type of solar technology being used. Generally speaking, a complete solar energy system will cost $3,470 per kilowatt, not including permit fees, labor, or preliminary work. Most solar systems in Highland are 2.9 kilowatts, and the typical Highland homeowners spends $6,973 after accounting for federal tax refunds. Some homeowners may prefer leasing their 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
With home solar panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on your location and what type of panels you're installing. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Highland, your best time to install solar panels is in the spring and fall.
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 Highland, the average amount someone can save is $772 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system when your payback period is done.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Highland, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 9.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Many solar contractors in the Highland area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your state or utility offers net metering, you can sell the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
Absolutely. Solar panels don't depend on the grid to work and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system without a storage system cannot keep you running through a nighttime outage. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
