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 Imperial homeowners. Solar power can cut your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a reputable solar installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and created a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation companies in Imperial.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
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:
Going solar can be a great way to lower electricity costs and help the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some crucial factors to consider when evaluating if a solar installer is reliable.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five specific types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor to earn a license, 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 customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's dependability and level of service. Use caution with companies that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should outline all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the option that aligns with your budget.
High-quality solar installations should have robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar energy can help decrease your electricity costs long-term. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
Imperial homeowners typically spend about $6,745 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Imperial cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 2.8 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's panel type, size, and capacity. 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 system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Of course. The grid in Imperial 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.
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 Imperial, the average amount someone can save is $942 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
Although solar energy is a valuable option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, you could consider other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or geothermal power, as a primary source. It is also important to speak to a qualified installer to determine if their solar system is compatible with the climate and environment of your area. Even if you choose a different form of renewable energy altogether, you'll still help the environment and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
Yes, solar panels will still be able to generate 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.
