Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Year after year, more Hopkinsville residents use rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and provide a dependable source of power. Making the switch to solar power helps cut your utility bills and lower your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. Luckily, we've done the research and assembled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation providers in Hopkinsville.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could reduce your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when researching local solar installers are as follows.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This ensures that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. Residential solar energy contractors in Kentucky don't need to be licensed electricians or plumbers. However, a plumber or electrician licensed by the Commonwealth must be the one to retain building permits and connect the system to meters and utility grids.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar installers. Detailed reviews can help you assess a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact at least three solar companies to receive free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar energy is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on system capacity and the solar technology being used. The average solar system in Hopkinsville has a capacity of 9.4 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,650 per kilowatt; the average Hopkinsville homeowners spends about $23,892 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, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, labor, and preliminary work.
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 heating system.
With home solar panels, 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. With the winter months in Kentucky being very mild, you have a lengthy window to install your panels, though they won't hit peak performance until summer arrives.
Your installer can give you an estimate of what your energy bills will look like after you install solar panels. Generally, your energy bills will decrease significantly because you'll be using energy from the sun for free, instead of buying energy from the utility company. The average annual savings in Hopkinsville amount to $906.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. The sun shines frequently in Hopkinsville, meaning your payback period could last 26.4 years per 5 kW of capacity on the high end.
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.
The answer depends on your specific needs and goals. Generally, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for houses in Hopkinsville. However, if lowering cost is your top priority, then you could polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When you're choosing a contractor, make sure to ask about the brand names and models of solar panels a company offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
