Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for North Valley residents. Making the transition to solar energy can allow you to save money and shrink your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after properly vetting installers, we assembled a guide to the most reputable solar companies in North Valley. These companies consistently deliver dependable quality service.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could reduce your electricity payments while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when looking at local solar installers are as follows.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. New Mexico regulations require that solar installation supervisors must be master electricians or plumbers, with journeymen leading the piping and wiring work. Each journeyman assigned to your project will have at least two years of experience installing solar panels.
Check review sites like Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and TrustPilot 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 no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact three to five solar companies for free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly explain all costs and list the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the most cost-effective option for you.
High-quality solar installations should include robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar panels can help reduce your electricity costs in the long run. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the technology being used. The typical North Valley solar array has a capacity of 5.6 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,930 per kilowatt; the average North Valley homeowners spends roughly $15,361 on a new solar array after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for factors such as the size, capacity, and panel type of the planned system, and should include fees for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees.
Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Approximately 100%
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 save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the savings and environmental benefits of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 North Valley, the average amount someone can save is $1,522 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny North Valley, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 10.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
Absolutely. Solar panels exist independently from the power grid in North Valley and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system won't take you through a nighttime outage if you don't have a storage system. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
Regarding 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 energy is on par with other forms of renewable energy. Their maintenance costs are low and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
