Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for La Quinta homes. Going solar allows you to cut your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a reputable installation company first. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation providers in La Quinta.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners lower utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This help guarantee 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. To earn a license, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Look at review platforms such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar providers. 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.
Get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 solar companies. The quotes should list all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar is great for helping 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 used. The average solar system in La Quinta has a capacity of 2.8 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average La Quinta homeowners spends roughly $6,803 on a new solar array 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 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
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 La Quinta amount to $823.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on their rated capacity, the average sunlight in your area, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. La Quinta has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 8.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
The maintenance you'll need to do will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. With any system, you should clean and inspect each panel four times a year. Your solar contractor might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to get paid for the amount of energy they put back into the grid. It's available in most states and is a great way to reduce energy costs.
With respect to taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. For insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should speak with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
