What to Look For When Hiring a Solar Installation Business
Solar companies are springing up everywhere. In some areas of the country, there are as many as one or two solar companies operating. These solar companies range from extremely well-known national brands to small, regional contractors who depend largely on word-of-mouth referrals for their marketing. In between these two extremes is a bewildering array of choices that range from solar installation in a shed to solar panel installation in a home or business, all the way to residential and commercial sales of solar products.
The most important factor in choosing the Best Solar Companies is selecting a supplier that can provide you with quality panels. Many reputable solar panel manufacturers have nationwide connections and extensive product lines. These national brands have the advantage of being able to sell solar panels directly to consumers at a significant discount over purchasing from a local supplier. They also have a nationwide presence to get their products in front of customers if something goes wrong with your system. Many national brands have retail outlets that will allow you to test out their equipment and see if it is as good or better than the competition. Buying direct gives you the benefit of buying direct and being assured of getting exactly what you ordered.
Many reputable solar panel companies also have dealers that they support. These dealers make solar cells and other components from scratch. They can sell you a single part or they can make a combination of parts that will be exactly right for your system. The advantage to using dealers is the chance to work directly with the manufacture. A dealer can match your needs to the exact specifications of the solar panel components that they carry, and sometimes these manufacturers will sell you kits that include everything that you need to make solar panels.
There are also other less common types of solar companies. Some of these companies manufacturer or sell systems that are designed and tested by third parties. When you buy a system from these manufacturers, you won’t have access to the design team who created the product. These systems may also be lacking certain features that are important to you, such as back-up batteries. Manufacturers of these systems may also charge you extra for shipping and installation. When you buy directly from the leading solar companies like Sunlight Products, you have full access to the design team responsible for developing and producing your solar panels.
Other solar energy companies will specialize in particular types of panels, like those for hot water or solar-powered calculators. While you won’t have to worry about finding a manufacturer that sells directly to consumers, it is important to make sure that you do find a manufacturer that works with you when it comes to financing. You should get at least one manufacturer that offers a reasonable range of financing options for a given product, and you should take advantage of this financing range to get the lowest price on your panels and equipment.
A third group of solar companies specialize in helping homeowners with federal loan and credit programs. The federal loan program is one of the most successful programs ever designed to help homeowners obtain clean energy alternatives. Homeowners can receive money from their federal government to offset their electric bills by using clean energy sources. Many people don’t even realize that the government offers such tax credits, so finding a company to work with these programs is very important. Some homeowners will use these credits to pay for their entire home’s electricity requirements while they are living in it, which can be a great way to avoid high upfront costs.
There are solar companies that sell and install solar equipment manufacturers and panels, but there are also companies that work only with contractors. For example, there are plenty of companies that sell solar panels and other solar equipment, but they will also work with contractors to complete the installation. This is a good choice if you want to avoid having to deal with contractors, which can sometimes rip you off and get the job done improperly. However, many homeowners aren’t comfortable working with independent contractors, which is why some choose to work with a smaller installer or do-it-yourself solar companies. If you have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the installation yourself, then you might prefer to avoid solar companies altogether and work directly with the solar equipment manufacturer or installer.
Regardless of which solar companies you decide to work with, you’ll likely need to find financing options for your residential solar solutions. Finding the right financing option is critical for getting the best solar companies and finding the best residential solar solution available, since many companies will require a large down payment before financing is complete. Choosing to work with a small company may be your best financial decision when it comes to installing residential solar solutions.