Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
A rooftop solar array could give you a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Transitioning to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. Luckily, we've done the research and assembled a guide to the best and most reputable solar installation companies in Mentone.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
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:
Going solar can be a great way to reduce electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some crucial factors to consider when deciding if a solar installer is trustworthy.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This helps ensure 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, an installer must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and TrustPilot to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with providers that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact three to five solar companies to get free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and list the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the most cost-effective option for you.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar energy 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 your system's capacity and the technology used. The typical Mentone solar array has a capacity of 2.9 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Mentone homeowners spends roughly $6,973 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for things like the size, capacity, and panel type 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar PV, 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 Mentone amount to $751.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Mentone, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 9.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to receive compensation 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.
Although solar energy is a great option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, a contractor might recommend 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.
