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 Martinez residents. Solar power can cut your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to select a reputable solar installer. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar providers and created a guide to the best solar companies in Martinez. These trusted providers are reliable options known for their quality services.
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
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
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
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 benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re deciding whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five different 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 complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company that works with your budget, get free, detailed quotes from three to five providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues such as cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. The performance guarantee ensures a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Installing solar panels can help lower your electric bills over time. When considering the total price and value of solar panels, make sure to consider these factors.
Martinez homeowners typically spend about $7,395 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Martinez cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 3.0 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor, and will account for your system's capacity, panel type, and size. 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) system can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, qualify for tax benefits, and raise your property values. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also offer you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
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, meaning that you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 Martinez amount to $1,053.
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. Martinez 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.
Your recommended maintenance 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 installation company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
The most common types of home solar panels in Martinez include thin-film, polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while polycrystalline and thin-film panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
