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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Mechanicsburg homes. Making the transition to solar energy can help you save money and shrink your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar installers and created a guide to the best solar companies in Mechanicsburg. These proven and dependable providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Our Rating
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Our Rating
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
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 lower electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some crucial factors to consider when determining whether a solar installer is trustworthy.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are no state-level contracting licenses issued in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, so each city or county can set its own requirements and regulations.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
To find a solar company that works with your budget, ask for free, detailed quotes from 3–5 providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
High-quality solar installations should include robust workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong warranties reflect a solar provider's faith in its installations.
Switching to solar power can help lower your energy expenses over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Mechanicsburg homeowners typically spend about $16,556 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Mechanicsburg cost roughly $3,550 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 6.7 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's capacity, size, and panel type. Some homeowners 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 system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar energy, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Mechanicsburg, your best time to get solar is in the spring and fall.
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. Mechanicsburg gets quite a bit of sunlight per day, so an average payback period could last up to 16.2 years per 5 kW of capacity.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should clean your panels regularly and inspect them for damage. A majority of solar contractors in the Mechanicsburg area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
The most common types of home solar panels in Mechanicsburg include monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while polycrystalline and thin-film panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about what kinds of solar panels they work with.