Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Year after year, more Ithaca homeowners use rooftop solar panels to add value to their property and lower their carbon footprint. Solar power can cut your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why we’ve researched the options and assembled a guide to the most reliable solar installation companies in Ithaca. These top installers offer high-quality and reliable services.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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 evaluating if a solar installer is reliable.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. New York regulators do 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 Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact at least three 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 most cost-effective option for you.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance guarantee promises a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Solar is great for helping you lower electricity bills over time. Make sure you consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the technology being used. The typical Ithaca solar array has a capacity of 4.7 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,650 per kilowatt; the average Ithaca homeowners spends roughly $11,905 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for factors such as the panel type, capacity, and size 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) array can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar energy, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
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 Ithaca, the average amount someone can save is $592 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.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. In areas like Ithaca with moderate sunlight, the period could last 20.1 years per 5 kW of power, but may be shorter if you have low electricity costs or a smaller energy capacity.
While solar energy might not be ideal for some in wet or dark 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.
Solar panels are becoming more popular 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.
