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 will provide you with a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to select a reputable solar installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and created a guide to the best and most reputable solar installation providers in North Fair Oaks.
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could cut your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when looking at local solar installers are as follows.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five distinct classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor to earn a license, an installer 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), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar providers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s dependability and customer service. Be wary of companies lacking reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. A performance warranty guarantees a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help reduce 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 technology being used. The average solar system in North Fair Oaks has a capacity of 3.1 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average North Fair Oaks homeowners spends roughly $7,454 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 installer will account for factors such as the size, capacity, and panel type of the planned system, and should include fees for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees.
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
Incentive Amount:
Single-family residential gas-displacing systems: $18.59 per therm displaced
Single-family residential electricity or propane-displacing systems: $0.54 per kWh displaced
Multifamily and Commercial gas-displacing systems: $14.53 per therm displaced
Multifamily and Commercial electricity or propane-displacing systems: $0.42 per kWh displaced
Low-Income Multifamily gas-displacing systems: $19.23/therm displaced
Low-Income Multifamily Electric or Propane Displacing systems: $0.56/kWh displaced
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array 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.
With home solar energy, 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 most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the savings and environmental benefits of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and their rated capacity. North Fair Oaks has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.4 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. A majority of solar contractors in the North Fair Oaks area offer comprehensive maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Absolutely. Solar panels don't depend on the grid to work and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system won't take you through a nighttime outage if you don't have a storage system. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
Solar panels are gaining traction for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
