Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Year after year, more Hillsborough residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and provide a dependable source of power. Solar power can cut your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to choose a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and compiled a guide to the most trustworthy solar providers in Hillsborough. These top companies offer high-quality and reliable services.
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Family-operated business
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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:
Going solar can be a great way to lower electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating if a solar installer is reliable.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. There are five distinct types 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.
Check review sites like TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and level of service. Use caution with companies that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact three to five solar companies to receive free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the most cost-effective option for you.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. A performance warranty ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Switching to solar power can help lower your energy expenses. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
In Hillsborough, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.1 kilowatts. The typical Hillsborough homeowner spends $7,454 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information reflecting your desired system's panel type, capacity, required preliminary work, and size. 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can save money, qualify for tax benefits, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't achieve peak performance until summer arrives.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will decrease significantly 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 Hillsborough, the average amount someone can save is $1,053 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Hillsborough has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Yes, solar panels can still 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 that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
The answer will depend on your specific needs and goals. Generally speaking, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for houses in Hillsborough. However, if lowering cost is your top priority, then you may want to consider polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When you're gathering estimates, make sure to ask about the brand names and models of solar panels a company offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar energy can be more efficient than other forms of renewable energy. They have inexpensive upkeep and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
