Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Year after year, more St. Clair Shores homeowners turn to rooftop solar panels to add value to their property and lower their carbon footprint. Making the transition to solar energy can allow you to save money and reduce your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar providers and put together a guide to the best solar companies in St. Clair Shores. These trusted providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
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Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
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 evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. Michigan law has a de facto licensing requirement for solar photovoltaic installers. In other words, the law doesn't explicitly require solar installers to be licensed, but workers dealing with electrical wiring jobs do need a license. Solar thermal systems must be installed by a licensed mechanical contractor.
Check review sites like TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews to see feedback from past customers on local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact at least three solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly explain all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Quality solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee addresses any installation defects (such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar power can help lower your electricity costs over time. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The typical St. Clair Shores solar array has a capacity of 6.1 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $4,060 per kilowatt; the average St. Clair Shores homeowners spends roughly $17,270 on a new solar system 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 capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include fees for permit fees, labor, and preliminary work.
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will significantly decrease 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 St. Clair Shores, the average amount someone can save is $1,005 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system when your payback period is done.
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. St. Clair Shores gets quite a bit of sunlight per day, so an average payback period could last up to 17.2 years per 5 kW of capacity.
The specific types of maintenance you need will depend on the type of panels you're using. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Many solar contractors in the St. Clair Shores area offer comprehensive maintenance plans to help you keep your panels healthy and make the most of your system.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your state or utility offers net metering, you can sell the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
Solar panels are becoming more popular for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
