Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Last Updated: February 25, 2025
A solar panel array will provide you with 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 qualified installer. Luckily, we've done the research and compiled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation providers in Novato.
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
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 cut your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is right for you, consider these key factors.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five different levels 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.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. These quotes should explain all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
High-quality solar installations should have robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar panels can help decrease your electricity costs long-term. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
In Novato, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.2 kilowatts. The typical Novato homeowner spends $7,653 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will factor in additional information reflecting your desired system's capacity, panel type, required preliminary work, and size. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
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 system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have a lengthy window to install your panels, though they won't reach peak performance until summer arrives.
Absolutely. The grid in Novato already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
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 Novato amount to $1,053.
Yes, solar panels can still provide you with energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system will keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
Ultimately, the answer will depend on your specific situation. You can take advantage of a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the system's cost, as well as state or local incentives depending on where you are. As for insurance, you'll need to let your insurer know about your new solar panels. Your premium may increase due to added property values, but you'll have peace of mind if a covered event happens to the system.
The most common types of home solar panels in Novato include monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about which solar panels they work with.
