Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
A solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Going solar allows you to cut your utility bills and shrink your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. Luckily, we've done the research and compiled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation providers in Lafayette.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
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:
Installing solar panels can reduce your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five specific types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. 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.
Look at review platforms such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to find out what previous customers are saying about local solar providers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s trustworthiness and customer service. Be cautious of companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on system capacity and the technology being used. The typical Lafayette solar array has a capacity of 3.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Lafayette homeowners spends roughly $7,395 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for factors such as the size, panel type, and capacity of the planned system, and should include fees for preliminary work, permit fees, 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.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can raise your property values, qualify for tax benefits, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also offer you further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on where you live and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have a wide time window to install your panels, though they won't achieve peak performance until summer arrives.
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, the average sunlight in your area, and their rated capacity. Lafayette has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.0 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 inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Full-service solar contractors in the Lafayette area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Solar panels are gaining traction for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
