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 Gettysburg homeowners. A solar panel array can help you provide a dependable source of power, decrease your carbon footprint, and add value to your property. Adopting solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why, after properly vetting installers, we put together a guide to the most dependable solar companies in Gettysburg. These providers have a reputation for excellent service.
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Family-operated business
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
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 looking at local solar installers are as follows.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not issue state-level contracting licenses, so each city or county can set its own requirements and regulations.
Look at review platforms such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar providers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s trustworthiness and customer service. Be wary of companies with no reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Get free, detailed quotes from three to five solar companies. A quote should describe all costs and identify the solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
Quality solar installations should have comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance warranty promises a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer trusts its installations.
Solar panels can help lower your electricity costs long-term. When considering solar panel's cost and value, be sure to consider these considerations.
In Gettysburg, solar panels cost an average of $3,550 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 6.6 kilowatts. The typical Gettysburg homeowner spends $16,467 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information based on your desired system's panel type, size, capacity, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Amount:
Manufacturer loans: $40,000 per job created within 3 years
Manufacturer grants: $5,000 per job created within 3 years
Loans for geothermal systems: $3 per square foot of space served up to $5 million; also limited to 50% of eligible costs for residential systems.
Loans for wind energy production projects: $5 million
Grants for wind energy production projects: $1 million
Grants for feasibility studies: 50% of cost up to $175,000
Loan guarantee grants: Up to 75% of deficient funds up to $5 million
Incentive Amount:
Varies based on market conditions; during 2015 the market price for PA-sourced SRECs has ranged from approximately $32 - $55/MWh ($0.032 - $0.055/kWh) although individual trades have taken place at substantially lower and higher prices.
Incentive Amount:
Appliances
Refrigerator: $75
Clothes Washer: $25- $50
Clothes Dryer: $50
Freezers: $25
Dehumidifiers: $25
Fridge/Freezer Recycling: $50
HVAC
HVAC tune up: $50
Furnace Fan Motor: $150
Ductless Minisplit AC : $200
Central AC: $100 - $200
Air Source Heat pump: $250 - $500
Geothermal Heat Pump: $600
Packaged Terminal AC: $75
Packaged Terminal Heat Pump: $150
Programmable Thermostat: $25
Others
Solar Water Heat: $500
Heat Pump Water Heater: $500
Home Energy Audit: $250
Lighting: Available as in-store discount in participating stores
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use 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 gain additional energy independence.
It depends on where you live and the kind of panels you plan to use. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Gettysburg, your best time to get solar is in the spring and fall.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will significantly decrease 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 Gettysburg, the average amount someone can save is $1,086 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system once the payback period passes.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can get a return on investment from your solar panels. The sun shines frequently in Gettysburg, meaning your payback period could last 15.2 years per 5 kW of capacity on the high end.
Your recommended maintenance will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel four times a year. Your solar energy company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance for you.
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 help the environment and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
