Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more Olivehurst homeowners install rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Making the transition to solar energy can help you save money and shrink your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we put together a guide to the most reputable solar companies in Olivehurst. These providers have a reputation for dependable quality service.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Family-operated business
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners lower utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. There are five specific levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Avoid providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Switching to solar power can help lower your energy expenses. Be sure to evaluate these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
In Olivehurst, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.1 kilowatts. The typical Olivehurst homeowner spends $7,569 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information based on your desired system's capacity, required preliminary work, size, and panel type. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease 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 appliance or system that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar panels, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
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, which means you can reap the environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 Olivehurst, the average amount someone can save is $1,053 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system when your payback period is done.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Olivehurst has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.2 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Your recommended maintenance will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel every three months. Your solar installer might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance on your behalf.
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 boost your property's solar viability enough to 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 most common types of home solar panels in Olivehurst include polycrystalline, thin-film and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
