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 Southchase residents use rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and provide a dependable source of power. Transitioning to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar installers and created a guide to the best solar companies in Southchase. These proven and dependable providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Free quotes
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners lower utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re determining whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. Once an electrical professional in Florida has four years of field experience, including one year as an apprentice, they can take two tests to earn a CV license with the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board. Florida also allows electrical contractors to install solar panels, but they may need to subcontract some tasks to a licensed roofer.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and level of service. Use caution with companies that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should outline 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 warranty covers installation defects, such as poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. A performance warranty ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar can help you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Southchase solar array has a capacity of 5.5 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,210 per kilowatt; the average Southchase homeowners spends roughly $12,301 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 things like the capacity, size, and panel type of the planned system, and should include prices for preliminary work, permit fees, and labor.
Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
All
Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Residential: 100% of the added value
Non-Residential: 80% of the added value
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 heater.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, save money, and raise your property values. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also provide you with further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in Florida 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, the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and their rated capacity. Southchase has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 9.5 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state offers net metering, you can send the solar energy you don't use to the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
With respect 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. 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 traction 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.
