Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more New Kensington residents use rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Transitioning to 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 qualified installer. Luckily, we’ve conducted comprehensive research local solar providers and created a guide to the best solar companies in New Kensington. These reputable providers are reliable options known for their quality services.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
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:
Installing solar panels can lower your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current best installation 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 Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you assess a provider's integrity and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the option that aligns with your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance guarantee ensures a specific energy output level. Strong warranties indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Going solar can help decrease your energy expenses over time. Be sure to weigh these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The average solar system in New Kensington has a capacity of 7.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,550 per kilowatt; the average New Kensington homeowners spends roughly $17,475 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar company will account for things like the capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include prices for permit fees, labor, and preliminary work.
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:
Programmable Thermostats: $25
Central A/C / Heat Pumps: $100/ton
ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Solar Water Heater: $300
Ceiling/Floor/Wall Insulation: $0.23/square foot
ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifier: $20
ENERGY STAR Certified Refrigerator: $25
ENERGY STAR Certified Freezer: $10
ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Conditioner: $25
ENERGY STAR Variable Speed Pool Pump: $200
Occupancy Sensor Based Control: $10
Smart Strip Surge Protector: $5
Furnace with High Efficiency Fan Motor: $100
Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump: $100
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: $35
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) array can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
With home solar panels, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
Of course. New Kensington uses an even mixture of solar energy and conventional power sources. While your panels at home will save you money and lower your home's individual emissions, you'll still benefit from access to the local grid.
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 New Kensington amount to $1,015.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from 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. New Kensington gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 17.2 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.
Yes, solar panels can still generate energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system is able to keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider and look for a solar system that includes a battery backup.
Solar energy is on par with other forms of renewable energy. They have inexpensive upkeep and today's systems can work in a variety of conditions.
