Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in Ellicott. A rooftop solar array can help you provide a dependable source of power, decrease your carbon footprint, and add value to your property. 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, after conducting thorough research on installers, we compiled a guide to the most reliable solar companies in Ellicott. These providers have a reputation for dependable quality service.
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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:
Going solar can be a great way to reduce electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some key factors to consider when deciding if a solar installer is reliable.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. The New York state government does not issue licenses to contractors, so you should check with your county or city government for its specific requirements and regulations.
Check review sites like TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see feedback from past customers about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with installers that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact three to five solar companies to get free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly explain all costs and list the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels. The performance guarantee ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Going solar can help lower your energy expenses over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Ellicott solar array has a capacity of 4.6 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay approximately $3,650 per kilowatt; the average Ellicott homeowners spends roughly $11,849 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for factors such as the size, panel type, and capacity of the planned system, and should include fees for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees.
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:
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. A more specific example is installing 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 many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
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 Ellicott amount to $599.
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.
Although solar energy is a valuable option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, a contractor might recommend other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or geothermal power, as a primary source. It is also important to speak to a qualified installer to determine if their solar system is compatible with the climate and environment of your area. Even if you choose a different form of renewable energy altogether, you'll still help the environment and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
