Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Year after year, more Rialto residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. However, it's important to choose a reputable solar installer. Luckily, we've done the research and assembled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation providers in Rialto.
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
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 benefiting the planet 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.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five different classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company that works with your budget, get free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties show that a solar company believes in its work.
Going solar can help decrease your energy expenses over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the technology used. The typical Rialto solar array has a capacity of 2.9 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Rialto homeowners spends roughly $6,973 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for factors such as the capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include fees for preliminary work, labor, 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system 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 panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Yes, you can 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 environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will significantly decrease 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 Rialto, the average amount someone can save is $794 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
Net metering is a power purchasing policy that allows solar energy system owners to receive compensation for the amount of energy they put back into the grid. It's available in most states and is a great way to reduce energy costs.
When it comes to taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. As for insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should talk with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
Solar panels are gaining wider adoption 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.
