Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Rooftop solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in North Tustin. A rooftop solar array can help you add value to your property, decrease your carbon footprint, and provide a dependable source of power. Solar power can cut your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to choose a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we assembled a guide to the most dependable solar companies in North Tustin. These installers have a reputation for high-quality service.
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
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 determining whether a solar installer is reliable.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This ensures that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. 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 take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar installers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee 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 warranties demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Installing solar panels can help decrease your electric bills over time. When weighing the total price and value of solar panels, be sure to consider these factors.
North Tustin homeowners typically spend about $7,006 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in North Tustin cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 2.9 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's capacity, size, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease their solar panels 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 appliance or system that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
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 hit peak performance until summer arrives.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will decrease significantly after you install solar panels. This is because you're using the energy you generate for free rather than buying it from your power company. In North Tustin, the average amount someone can save is $751 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny North Tustin, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 9.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
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. A majority of solar contractors in the North Tustin area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
While solar energy might not be the best option for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could increase your property's solar viability enough where you could achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
The best type of residential solar panel depends on your specific needs and goals. For a typical home, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for houses in North Tustin. However, if you have a limited budget, then you could thin-film or polycrystalline solar panels. When you're choosing a contractor, make sure to ask about the different types of solar panels an installer offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
