Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for Hillcrest homeowners. A new solar energy system can help you decrease your carbon footprint, add value to your property, and provide a dependable source of power. Making the transition to solar energy can allow you to save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing providers, we compiled a guide to the most trusted solar companies in Hillcrest. These providers have a reputation for excellent service.
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
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 researching local solar installers are as follows.
It's imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. New York state does not issue licenses to contractors, so you should check with your county or city government for its specific requirements and regulations.
Check consumer review platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's reliability and customer service. Use caution with installers that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. These quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation problems such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance warranty ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Solar energy can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the technology used. The typical Hillcrest solar array has a capacity of 4.2 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,650 per kilowatt; the average Hillcrest homeowners spends about $10,838 on a new solar array 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, size, and panel type of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, 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:
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 panels, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and gain additional energy independence.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Hillcrest, your best time to install solar panels is in the spring and fall.
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 Hillcrest, the average amount someone can save is $1,084 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 rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, their rated capacity, and the average sunlight in your area. Hillcrest gets quite a bit of sunlight per day, so an average payback period could last up to 10.0 years per 5 kW of capacity.
Yes, solar panels will still be able to supply you with energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system will keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
The best type of residential solar panel will depend on your specific needs and goals. Generally speaking, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for houses in Hillcrest. However, if you have a limited budget, then you could polycrystalline or thin-film solar panels. When selecting a solar company, make sure to ask about the types of solar panels an installer offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar panels are becoming more relevant than ever 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.
