Solar Panels Seattle Washington
Solar panels in Seattle are surprisingly reasonable at about $2.50 to $2.60 per watt. Most of the time, solar panels come in 250 watts, which is the industry standard size, which means youâre going to end up needing 20 to 28 panels to be completely independent of the grid. The end result means youâll end up paying something between $12,500 and $18,500 to power an average household. This of course will differ from user to user, based on a lot of factors- everything from how much hot water you use to what temperature you prefer to keep your house at. This cost will also be lowered substantially by various rebates, tax incentives and other little bonuses weâll talk about later. So keep reading!
Washington is a great state to go solar in, and a big part of that is the incentives that the state provides for customers who want to do it. Below is a short breakdown of some of the big incentives that are available for those interested in going solar:
Most homes require somewhere between 6 kw and 8 kw of power to be self-sufficient. This comes out to between 24 and 32 solar panels. The amount of power youâll need will vary from person to person however, largely based on your own personal preferences- hot water usage, preferred temperature, etc, not to mention the number of people living in the home.
How much do solar panels cost in Seattle, Washington?
In almost every case, solar panels are warrantied by their manufacturer for 20-25 years, so in the case of a manufacturerâs defect or similar flaw, they can be replaced. Similarly, most solar installation companies offer warranties, quite often of the same length as those of the manufacturer- 20-25 years. Therefore, it is very reasonable to assume that your solar panels will last at least a similar length of time. Once again, if your solar panels pay for themselves in as little as 15 years, then youâre looking at at the very least 5 to 10 years of âfreeâ electricity, with a possibility of more afterward.
So if youâre looking into solar panels, itâs a good idea to know at least a little about the different kinds that are available, since one or the other may suit your needs better than the rest.
So first up, letâs talk about panels. Obviously these are the key to any solar energy system, as they collect the sunlight that will be converted into electricity. Simply stated, there are two basic kinds that are readily available for use in home systems- Polycrystalline panels and monocrystalline panels. Essentially, what this boils down to is that monocrystalline panels are smaller, more efficient and can operate with less direct sunlight than others, but they also tend to be more expensive, so a lot of homeowners will look past them. Polycrystalline panels on the other hand are the bigger ones, the kind that as often as not are installed on the ground due to their size. They are less efficient and require direct sunlight to operate at any large capacity, so they are not feasible in some situations.
What incentives are there for going solar in Seattle?
Your inverters are the devices that actually turn the captured sunlight into usable electricity, and the kind you get are largely going to be dictated by the type of panels you use and their placement. So thereâs really not much to worry about here. Suffice it to say, thereâs three major types- string inverters, microinverters and power optimizers. String inverters are the most common type used in home installations as they tend to be the cheapest and most flexible kind.
So it rains a lot in Seattle, right? Everybody who ever listened to grunge rock knows that. But how does weather affect your solar panels? Letâs take a look at some common weather conditions and see.
Rain: Believe it or not, a little rain is actually good for your solar panels. It helps wash the dust, grime and other assorted accumulations that tend to build up on them over time, especially if theyâre place on a rooftop. So rain is actually a positive.
How Much Solar Power Do I Need?
Clouds/Fog: Unfortunately, the cloud cover associated with rainfall is bad for your panels in the sense that the less sunlight that gets to them, the less electricity they will produce. Same goes for dense fog. Your panels can produce up to 70% electricity on an overcast day than a sunny one.
Snow: Snow is bad for solar panels mainly because any significant accumulation can completely block the sunlight reaching your panels, which in turn completely stops your production of electricity. The snow itself is not damaging however, but if youâre able you may want to have a plan to remove the snow from your panels when it gets built up or you could be without solar energy till it melts. And that could be a while.
Temperature: Sunny weather and high temperatures mean more solar power, right? Sort of. Sunny is great, but higher temperatures actually reduce the efficiency of your panels by an estimated 1% for every degree they rise above 77 fahrenheit. Lower temperatures, however, actually increase the efficiency of your panels up to a point, so the optimal weather for solar panels is a bright sunny day in the 50s. Seattle of course doesnât get a ton of those, but you can always hope.
How long do solar panels last?
As with any major investment, youâre going to want to do your research before dropping a lot of money on a solar panel system, and the internet gives you an outstanding resource to this end. Hereâs just a few things to look for when considering a solar company:
Time in the industry: Just like in any other industry, the longer a company has been in operation, the more reliable they are likely to be. Furthermore, companies that stay in business for a long time tend to be the ones that keep good relationships with customers and therefore have good word-of-mouth advertising. This doesnât mean new companies canât do a good job, itâs just a little more comforting to know someone has been doing this for 20 or 30 years and hasnât gotten sued out of existence yet.
Types of Panels: So believe it or not, some companies donât like to work with certain types of panels. As a result, if you think youâd prefer to use a certain kind of panel or definitely donât want to use one kind, you might want to check with your solar company and make sure they are comfortable working with your preferred panels.
Types of Panels & Inverters
Payment Options: So obviously this is going to be an investment, and thereâs going to be a substantial cost associated with it before you receive any kind of rebates or credits. So how are you going to pay for this? Some people may be able to just write a check for the full cost and call it a day, but thatâs not an option for the vast majority. So youâre more than likely going to need some kind of financing. Some companies will offer some form of in-house financing, but most are going to leave it up to you. Either way, just be aware of whatâs going to be expected of you payment-wise before making any decisions.
Warranties: Your solar panels will more than likely come with a warranty of some variety, usually 20-25 years, which means the company itself will repair or replace your panels if they malfunction due to a manufacturerâs error. Your solar company quite often will have a similar warranty, often guaranteeing their work for 20-25 years with the promise that they will fix anything that comes up due to an installerâs error. However, make sure you read the fine print- many companies will ask for service charges and other fees when you ask them to honor their warranty. So just make sure you know what youâre getting into before you sign anything so you donât end up with any nasty surprises when you need some work done.
Reviews: Probably the most important thing to consider is any reviews you can find online. Customers online tend to be brutally honest- if theyâre not completely and 100% satisfied with a company, theyâre gonna let you know about it. So by all means, scour the internet and find out everything you can about a company before making any commitment.
Weather & Solar Panels
There are numerous well-qualified solar installers available in Seattle, so you wonât have any shortage of companies to choose from. And if you know what youâre looking for, calling around to a few will more than likely put you in touch with someone who suits your needs fairly quickly. Just a few of the available companies with good reputations are:
Puget Sound Solar LLC (average 4.64 out of 5 stars in 61 reviews)
A&R Solar (4.82 / 5 stars in 100 reviews)
Things to Look for in a solar company
Artisan Electric (4.79 / 5 stars in 246 reviews)
Synergy Systems (4.76 / 5 stars in 103 reviews)
Sun Path Electric (4.53 / 5 stars in 20 reviews)
How do I get solar panels installed in Seattle?
Northwest Mechanical LLC (4.51 / 5 stars in 21 reviews)
Cascadia Solar (4.63 / 5 stars in 26 reviews)
Power Trip Energy (4.79 / 5 stars in 129 reviews)
Final Word:
And keep in mind, these are just the ones I could find that averaged more than 4.5 stars in their reviews, so there are a lot more out there, many of which are probably very good at what they do.
So what do we know? Solar panels in Seattle are going to be a little more expensive than elsewhere in the country, so your initial investment is going to be somewhat higher than in most places. However, Seattleâs climate is fairly well suited for solar panels temperature wise, and your panels will pay for themselves sooner or later. Additionally, there are a number of credits and incentives in place that will help offset your cost, so thereâs very little risk here- So if youâre considering the addition of solar panels in Seattle, youâve got a number of options available in the greater Seattle area, so do your research and find the one thatâs right for you.