Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Pittsburg residents. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and assembled a guide to the most reputable solar providers in Pittsburg. These top companies offer high-quality and dependable services.
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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 reduce your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five different types 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 assess a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact 3–5 solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and list the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty covers installation defects, such as poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the solar technology being used. The typical Pittsburg solar array has a capacity of 3.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Pittsburg homeowners spends roughly $7,395 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for factors such as the panel type, capacity, and size of the planned system, and should include fees for permit fees, preliminary work, 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 system or appliance in your home. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can raise your property values, reduce emissions, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also offer you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't hit peak performance until summer arrives.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, their rated capacity, and the average sunlight in your area. Pittsburg has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. A majority of solar contractors in the Pittsburg area offer low-cost 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 performing choice for some in dark or wet areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could boost 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 most common types of home solar panels in Pittsburg include polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while polycrystalline and thin-film panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Ask your local provider about the types of solar panels they work with.
