Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
A rooftop solar array will provide you with a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Switching to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and assembled a guide to the most trustworthy solar providers in Waterloo. These top installers offer high-quality and dependable services.
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
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:
Going solar can be a great way to lower electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some crucial factors to consider when deciding if a solar installer is trustworthy.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. In Illinois, the state Commerce Commission regulates distributed generation energy contractors, including home solar installers.
Check Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Be wary of companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from three to five solar companies. A quote should list all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Comparing several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance guarantee promises a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Solar energy can help decrease your energy expenses over time. Be sure to weigh these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
In Waterloo, solar panels cost an average of $3,760 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 6.1 kilowatts. The typical Waterloo homeowner spends $15,956 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information reflecting your desired system's required preliminary work, size, capacity, and panel type. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Varies
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array 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 PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on where you live and the kind of panels you plan to use. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Waterloo, your best time to install solar panels is in the spring and fall.
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, the average sunlight in your area, and their rated capacity. Waterloo gets quite a bit of sunlight per day, so an average payback period could last up to 16.0 years per 5 kW of capacity.
Yes, solar panels can still provide you with energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system is able to keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
The most common types of home solar panels in Waterloo include polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about what kinds of solar panels they work with.
Solar panels are on par with other forms of renewable energy. They have low maintenance costs and today's systems can work in a variety of conditions.
