Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Every year, more Charlestown homeowners use rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and add value to their property. Switching to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. That’s why, after reviewing and analyzing installers, we assembled a guide to the most trusted solar companies in Charlestown. These installers consistently deliver excellent service.
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
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:
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 researching local solar installers are as follows.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. To install a solar energy system in Rhode Island, an installer will need both a State Electrical Contractor's License and at least a Journeyperson's License from the Department of Labor and Training.
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 reliability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have barely any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 solar companies. A quote should list all costs and identify the solar parts included. Comparing several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
Quality solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong warranties demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar power can help lower your electricity costs over time. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to factor in these considerations.
In Charlestown, solar panels cost an average of $4,070 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 4.0 kilowatts. The typical Charlestown homeowner spends $11,262 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will take into account additional information reflecting your desired system's capacity, panel type, size, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Type: Property Tax Incentive
Incentive Amount:
Varies (local option)
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system 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 heating system for your water.
With home solar PV, 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 where you live and what type of panels you're installing. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Charlestown, your best time to get solar is in the spring and fall.
Yes. The grid in Charlestown already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. The sun shines frequently in Charlestown, meaning your payback period could last 12.8 years per 5 kW of capacity on the high end.
While solar energy is a great 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 panels are gaining traction 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.
