Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for La Puente homeowners. A solar panel array can help you add value to your property, provide a dependable source of power, and decrease your carbon footprint. Switching to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why we’ve researched the options and compiled a guide to the most trustworthy solar providers in La Puente. These top providers consistently deliver high-quality and dependable services.
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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:
Installing solar panels can reduce your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When evaluating if a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five different classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, 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, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to find out what previous customers say about local solar companies. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s trustworthiness and customer service. Be wary of companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Contact at least three solar companies to receive free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly explain all costs and specify the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the best value based on your budget.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar energy can help lower your electricity costs long-term. When considering solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology being used. The typical La Puente solar array has a capacity of 2.8 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average La Puente homeowners spends about $6,920 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for factors such as the panel type, capacity, and size of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor.
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 simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar panels, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Yes, it's possible to 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 environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 La Puente, the average amount someone can save is $751 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 achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, their rated capacity, and the average sunlight in your area. La Puente has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 9.2 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
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 La Puente area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Although solar energy is a great 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 lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
