Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Year after year, more Alton residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Transitioning to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why we’ve reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the most dependable solar Installers in Alton. These top installers consistently deliver high-quality and reliable services.
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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 help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When evaluating if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. In Illinois, the state Commerce Commission licenses distributed generation energy contractors, including solar installers.
Check consumer review platforms like TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to see feedback from past customers about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with installers that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 solar companies. A quote should describe all costs and identify the solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. The performance warranty ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Switching to solar power can help decrease your energy expenses over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Alton homeowners typically spend about $16,101 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Alton cost roughly $3,760 per kilowatt, with an average size of 6.1 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees, and will account for your system's size, capacity, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease their solar panels in order to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Varies
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar energy, 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.
Absolutely. Alton uses a balanced mixture of solar energy and conventional power sources. While your panels at home will save you money and lower your home's individual emissions, you'll still benefit from access to the local grid.
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 Alton, the average amount someone can save is $989 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from 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. Alton gets quite a bit of sunlight per day, so an average payback period could last up to 16.3 years per 5 kW of capacity.
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 speak with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
Solar energy is on par with other forms of renewable energy. They have low maintenance costs and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
