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Throughout recent years, concerns have arisen because of electrical prices increasing and the effect traditional consumption has on our planet. Undoubtedly, it’s causing irreversible changes, which could be harmful to our future. 

Because of this, there’s been an upsurge in solar system installations because it’s a cheaper and healthier energy alternative. However, with this comes a lot of competition, making it challenging to decipher which solar companies to invest in.

For this reason, we review prominent players within the industry to determine the top solar companies for both residential and commercial properties. One platform that has caught our attention is Consumer Affairs, a leading solar marketplace. Their website also reviews various businesses in the industry and rates them out of five, based on an array of features.

Due to their significance, reviewing them will offer our viewers insight into what to expect from Consumer Affairs. Here’s what you need to know:

States available

One excellent element that solar marketplaces have over the top solar companies is their ability to cater to an array of individuals. Most leading solar companies don’t operate in all states for numerous reasons such as the physical location, tax, regulation, and more.

Therefore, a company you might want to invest in may not operate in your state. But with Consumer Affairs “Zip Code” search bar, you can easily find solar companies within your area, increasing the chances of finding a supplier suited to your needs.

Payment options

Consumer Affairs is constructed to find you the most suitable solar supplier in your state. Because of this, they’ll be various payment options offered. In most circumstances, you’ll be presented with the following payment options:

  • Cash – As represented by the name, cash is a payment option that allows you to purchase the system in full. Undoubtedly, this is a cost-effective and straightforward method, but it’ll end up costing you around $20,000 to $30,000 upfront. With this, you’ll also receive the most amount of federal, state, and military discounts or tax incentives.
  • Loan – The solar supplier will either offer loans or a third-party partner. Usually, these are loans from five to twelve years. Like all loans, the total price will fluctuate depending on how much you borrow, the timeframe, and your credit score.
  • Lease/power purchase agreement – A lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) is a unique payment option. You’ll never physically own the solar system; you’ll be renting it from the supplier. It’s still a lot cheaper than traditional electricity sources and more than worth the consideration.

Consumer Affair is a marketplace that showcases the top solar companies in the industry. Because of this, the payment options can change from supplier to supplier, but usually, they consist of the above.

Answer a few questions to find the best solar deal in your area.

Equipment

Despite many thinking about a solar system as panels only, it’s much more complex than what meets the eye. Including these, they’ll be inverters, racking systems, mounts, battery storage, and more. The leading brands of these pieces of equipment vary from Panasonic, LG, Tesla, Huawei, and other electronic giants.

Depending on your budget, installer, and the comprehensiveness of the system will determine which equipment you opt for. Because Consumer Affairs is a marketplace, you can expect to see various branded goods.

Additionally, a company might offer energy efficiency packages, including specific lightbulbs, car chargers, and more to lower your energy usage.

Installations

Many believe switching to solar causes issues and is a long, confusing process, but all top solar companies eliminate this. To better visualize this, here’s an outline of what to expect.

  • Free consultation – First, you’ll usually start with a free consultation session with a professional representative. During this stage, you’ll discuss your requirements, costs, payment options, and any questions you might have. In most circumstances, this is free. However, it does highly depend on the supplier.
  • Survey and design – Once you’re happy with the quoted price, a solar engineer will visit your property and design a system that offers your expected results.
  • Installation and setup – Now that this has been finalized, a team of individuals will install the system and acquire all the required permits for the solar system.
  • Final inspections – Before you’re connected to the main grid, a final inspection must happen to be officially approved.

Warranties

Another essential part of a solar system is the warranties attached to the installation and products. All top solar companies provide excellent guarantees; others don’t. Because the supplier will determine these, it’s hard to finalize what Consumer Affair recommended companies will offer. However, usually, you’ll encounter the below:
  • 25-year workmanship warranty
  • 25-year product warranty
  • 25-year linear performance guarantee

Battery storage

Batteries play an essential role within a solar system because they store much-needed energy when it’s not required for more important circumstances. The battery storage size and brands you’ll be offered with Consumer Affairs solar companies will be different massively. However, normally you’ll be presented with brands like Goodwe, BYD, Huawei, Tesla, PowerPlus, Redback, and occasionally more, depending on the supplier.

Pros & cons

The above showcases a lot of information, which can be challenging to consolidate and determine whether Consumer Affairs is worth checking out. To simplify this, see the below pros and cons:
Pros
  • Consolidates a multitude of data related to solar companies within your state, allowing optimal satisfaction
  • It makes the entire searching process much more straightforward for the consumer
  • Excellent compare option that allows you to review various suppliers at once
Cons
  • In some instances, deals might have been struck to improve the rating or ranking of a particular solar company
  • They’re not the physical solar supplier themselves, so there’s limited information on their website, making you speak to various representatives
  • You’re still required to do research to find an ideal solar company

Summary

After reviewing the above, we decided that Consumer Affairs is more than worth considering when investing in solar. They only show top solar companies in the United States, making the decision process much easier for anyone wanting to go solar.

Answer a few questions to find the best solar deal in your area.

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