Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
A solar panel array will provide you with a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Switching to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after conducting thorough research on providers, we compiled a guide to the most dependable solar companies in German Flatts. These companies offer dependable quality service.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
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 cut 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.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. New York regulators do not issue licenses to contractors, so you should check with your county or city government for its specific regulations and requirements.
Check Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from at least three solar companies. The quotes should outline all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the option that best fits your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive warranties indicate that a solar company believes in its work.
Installing solar panels can help decrease your electric bills over time. When considering the total price and value of solar panels, be sure to consider these factors.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the solar technology used. The average solar system in German Flatts has a capacity of 4.7 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,650 per kilowatt; the average German Flatts homeowners spends roughly $11,934 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 panel type, size, and capacity of the planned system, and should include prices for preliminary work, permit fees, and labor.
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. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
With home solar energy, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on your location and what type of panels you're installing. German Flatts can experience long, hard winters, so we recommend installing your system in the springtime to maximize your generation for the year.
Absolutely. The grid in German Flatts already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
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. German Flatts gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 19.2 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state 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.
While solar energy might not be the best performing choice for some in dark or wet areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could boost your property's solar viability enough where you could achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
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 notify your insurer 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.
