Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Year after year, more Sammamish homeowners use rooftop solar panels to provide a dependable source of power and lower their carbon footprint. Making the switch to solar power allows you to cut your utility bills and shrink your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar installers and compiled a guide to the best solar companies in Sammamish. These reliable providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Free quotes
Family-operated business
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Fair employee wages
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
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 cut 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.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. Solar companies in Washington are required to hold an electrical contractors' license from the Department of Labor and Industries. In certain situations, the department may also conduct permit inspections to confirm compliance and the viability and integrity of a contractor's job.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have very few reviews or mostly negative ones.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify 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 cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar panels can help reduce your electricity costs over time. When evaluating solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology being used. The average solar system in Sammamish has a capacity of 4.3 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,590 per kilowatt; the average Sammamish homeowners spends roughly $10,925 on a new solar array 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 factors such as the panel type, size, and capacity of the planned system, and should include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor.
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.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can save money, raise your property values, and qualify for tax benefits. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
Of course. The grid in Sammamish 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.
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 Sammamish, the average amount someone can save is $750 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
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. Sammamish gets a moderate amount of sunlight each day, so you could expect a maximum payback period of 14.6 years per 5 kW of power depending on other factors.
Your recommended maintenance will vary based on the type of solar panels you have. At a minimum, you should clean and inspect each panel once a quarter. Your solar installation company might offer comprehensive plans where they'll do the maintenance on your behalf.
Although solar energy is an ideal 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 in popularity for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
