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 is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Orchard Park homeowners. Adopting solar energy can lower 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 we’ve analyzed the options and compiled a guide to the most dependable solar providers in Orchard Park. These top installers consistently deliver high-quality and dependable services.
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
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:
Installing solar panels can lower your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When determining whether a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. 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 providers. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call three to five solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the most cost-effective option for your budget.
High-quality solar installations should include robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong warranties reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Going solar can help lower your electric bills over time. When evaluating the total price and value of solar panels, make sure to consider these factors.
Orchard Park homeowners typically spend about $11,696 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Orchard Park cost roughly $3,650 per kilowatt, with an average size of 4.6 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's panel type, size, and capacity. Some homeowners prefer to lease their 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:
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar water heating system.
With home solar energy, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on your location and what type of panels you're installing. Orchard Park can experience long, hard winters, so we recommend installing your system in the springtime to maximize your generation for the year.
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 Orchard Park amount to $617.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on 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. Orchard Park gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 19.0 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. A majority of solar contractors in the Orchard Park area offer low-cost maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
While solar energy is a valuable option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, you could consider 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 lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
Solar energy is on par with other forms of renewable energy. Their maintenance costs are low and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
