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 Bath residents adopt rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Adopting solar energy can help you save money and shrink your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation companies in Bath.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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 researching local solar installers are as follows.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. New York state does not issue licenses to contractors, so you should check with your city or county government for its specific requirements and regulations.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's reliability and customer service. Avoid companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
To find a solar company that works with your budget, ask for free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the best value.
Top-notch solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. A performance warranty guarantees a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar 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.
In Bath, solar panels cost an average of $3,650 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 4.6 kilowatts. The typical Bath homeowner spends $11,783 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will factor in additional information based on your desired system's capacity, panel type, required preliminary work, and size. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Type: Corporate Tax Credit
Incentive Amount:
$0.01/gallon for each percent of biodiesel
Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
100% exemption
Incentive Type: Sales Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Upon local authorization, 100% exemption from local sales tax
Incentive Amount:
Incentive rates step down over time as MW goals are met. Incentive rates as of 11/27/2019 are:
Residential:
Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.30/W
Upstate Region: $0.35/W
Low-to-Moderate income customers: $0.80/W (up to 10 kW)
Small Commercial (Non-Residential):Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.60/W
Up State Region: $0.45/W
Multifamily Affordable Housing Adder: additional $0.40/W (up to 50 kW)
Incentive Amount:
Tier I: 10,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $3.50/annual kWh
Tier II: 10,000 kWh - 125,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $1.00/annual kWh
Tier III: 125,000 kWh - 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.30/ annual kWh
Tier IV: Greater than 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.15/ annual kWh
These incentives are additive.
Incentive Amount:
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 home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on your home's location and the kind of panels you plan to use. Bath can experience long, hard winters, so we recommend installing your system in the spring months to maximize your generation for the year.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, which means you can reap the savings and environmental benefits that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Bath gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 18.2 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.
Yes, solar panels will still be able to supply 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 and look for a solar system that includes a battery backup.
The answer ultimately depends on your specific situation. You'll be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the system's cost, as well as state or local incentives depending on where you are. As for insurance, you'll need to let your insurer know about your new solar panels. Your premium may increase due to added property values, but you'll have peace of mind if a covered event happens to the system.
