Is Solar Right For Your Home?

Whether you’re interested in adopting solar energy to lower your electric bill or to lower your carbon footprint, finding the right company for you can be intimidating.

We’re here to help. EcoWatch has covered renewable energy solutions for decades, and this experience allows us to help guide our readers toward the right decisions for their house.

In this article, we’ll help you understand home solar systems and take the first steps to find the right company in your area.

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Is Solar Right For Your Home?

Solar Panels Are Worth It For You If…

• Your house receives a lot of sunlight: If you live in a part of the country that gets lots of exposure to sunlight throughout the year, then you’ll probably get more mileage out of your solar panels.
• You have proper space on your roof: A good solar system will require plenty of surface area on your roof, unobstructed by skylights, chimneys or other fixtures.
• Your roof faces south or west: Homes with roofs facing south, southwest or west will receive more direct radiation from the sun (at least in the northern hemisphere), resulting in more energy generated by a panel.
• You have high electricity bills: The amount of money you save by going solar will be directly proportional to the amount you spend each month on electrical costs.
• Your state or city has solar incentives, rebates or tax exemptions: Net metering specifically can have a great impact on the value you receive for your solar energy.

Solar Panels Are Not Worth It For You If…

• Your home doesn’t get enough sun exposure: If your roof tends to be shaded for long stretches of the day (for example, if your home is in the shadow of a larger building or a lot of dense trees), then your solar panels may not get the sun exposure they need to generate a solid ROI.
• You’re ineligible for incentives and rebates: If your local government or power company doesn’t have its own incentives, or has a poor or non-existant net metering policy, a solar investment may not be worth it for your home.
• You have low costs for electricity: If your electrical bills are already fairly minimal, then installing a residential solar system will yield more modest savings.
• You don’t have the right kind of roof: Certain types of roofs just aren’t as well-suited for solar power installation. For example, older or historic homes, homes that have overly tiled roofs and homes that have larger skylights may not be good matches for solar energy.

What Are The Best Solar Companies?

Every solar company is a little different. They cover different areas of the country, offer a variety of products, and like in any industry, range in the qualities of services offered. The companies below have been vetted by EcoWatch on a number of factors, including service, coverage, and cost of installation.

Best Overall Solar Company: SunPower

If you’re searching for a company that will walk you through the process of upgrading to solar power, making the entire experience easy and convenient, consider SunPower. This company offers:

• A “design studio” app that allows you to virtually design your own solar power system so you can see what the finished product would look like once assembled on your roof.
• Online calculators that make it easy for you to determine how much electricity you will save once you upgrade to solar panels.
• Virtual consultations during which you can chat one-on-one with a solar power expert and ask any questions you might have about how solar panels work or whether they’re a good investment for your home.

SunPower offers some of the best solar panels, batteries and other equipment to homeowners across all 50 states. SunPower’s all-in-one systems make for compatible technology that is easy for you to understand. The company is also the preferred solar partner of many major businesses, including Walmart, FedEx and Lowes. For more details, read our SunPower review.

Why Choose SunPower: SunPower is a reliable solar energy company with an impressive tech portfolio and an extremely easy, intuitive process.

Best Financing Options: Blue Raven Solar​

Rather than helping you find a third-party loan provider, Blue Raven Solar decided to simplify the solar loan process and offer flexible, zero-money-down in-house loans. The results make us wonder why solar companies didn’t try this sooner. Blue Raven Solar has much more to offer than just an innovative financing model. Here are some additional facts about the company:

• Blue Raven has a reputation for exceptional customer service and boasts a number of awards reflecting its commitment to quality and innovation.
• The success of Blue Raven Solar prompted SunPower to acquire the company in October 2021 in order to expand its residential services. However, Blue Raven Solar is still operating as usual at the time of publication.
• Blue Raven Solar is one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the country today. Since 2014, it has expanded its staff from three to over 1,400 employees.

Blue Raven Solar customers now enjoy the benefits of solar panel ownership without having to worry about rising interest rates or late payment fees with their loans. Learn more about it in our full Blue Raven Solar review.

Why Choose Blue Raven: Blue Raven Solar offers one of the most forward-thinking solar financing options for solar customers, increasing the accessibility of solar. If taking out a loan is a deal-breaker for going solar, consider talking to Blue Raven.