Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
A rooftop solar array could give you a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Going solar allows you to cut your utility bills and reduce your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing providers, we compiled a guide to the most dependable solar companies in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley. These providers have a reputation for dependable quality service.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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 evaluating if a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This ensures that the work is done properly 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 a license, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check consumer review platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with providers that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should outline all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. The performance warranty promises a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.
Solar energy can help decrease your energy expenses. Be sure to evaluate these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the technology being used. The typical Tamalpais-Homestead Valley solar array has a capacity of 3.2 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Tamalpais-Homestead Valley homeowners spends roughly $7,653 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for factors such as the panel type, capacity, and size of the planned system, and should include prices for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work.
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 heating system.
With home solar PV, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on where you live and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't reach 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 average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Tamalpais-Homestead Valley has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
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.
Solar panels are becoming more popular for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
