When making the decision to go solar everyone is looking for the best solar companies that service their area. One of the first questions asked is whether to go with one of the national solar companies or the local solar companies in your area. 

We took a look at key deciding factors of both types of solar companies to see what their advantages are so you can see what makes the most sense for you!

First off is defining a local solar company and a national solar company. A local solar company services members a defined region with all of its employees being residents of that area. Their goal is to maximize the quality of service but they may have limited reach and resources when compared to larger national companies. 

National solar companies on the other hand service across the United States with multiple offices and employees. The main goal of these solar companies is to increase sales revenue and market share within the industry by selling as much solar as possible. 

The goals of these types of solar companies leads to distinct advantages which we broke into categories: 

• Customer service
• Local solar companies are your neighbors. They are close in proximity to install and service your solar system and they have a local reputation to uphold. National solar companies likely rely on a national customer service system that requires you to send emails or call a national line with a directory. When contacting national solar companies it may take 24 hours to get in contact with someone and they may not be familar with your solar installation while a local company you can get in contact with someone immediately and have an answer to your problem well within 24 hours from the team that you worked with during your install. 

• Customer experience
• When dealing with national solar companies their reps have likely all been trained to handle every situation with a similar scripted approach not matter the situation. You also may have to deal with different departments and multiple reps throughout the process. When working with local solar companies their focus is on creating the best and most custom experience for every customer. Ideally your solar company should give you a dedicated project manager to assist throughout the entire process and answer any questions you have. 

• Quality of Work 
• National solar companies have more projects so you would think that they have more experience to create more quality work. However, often they use subcontractors to complete their jobs if they do not have installers located in your area. The subcontractor does not have as the accountability to the national brand image and different subcontractors will lead to a fluctuation in the quality of work from job to job. Local solar companies focus in your area and have the same installation crews every job. The quality of their work is what sets them apart from competing busineses so guaranteeing every job exceeds your expectations is a priority. 

• Local Knowledge 
• Local solar companies have a local expertise, have developed local partnerships, know local building codes, and are up to date on local rebates and incentive programs. Local solar companies also know the areas architecture. This is priceless experience in minzimizing your headaches and shortening project time while working to build a custom experience  

• Local Community Investment
• Local solar companies use revenue to benefit the local community, while national solar companies take their revenue to distribute to their corporation and shareholders. By investing in a local company you are investing in your community and its economy. 

As a local solar company we hope that we made the choice very clear for you in choosing a type of solar company. If you are interested in learning more about Isaksen Solar and the advantages of going solar, give us a call or start your free home solar quote!

Should I Get Solar Panels?: A Quick Guide To Buying Solar Panels For Your Home

Benefits of Purchasing Solar Panels

• Monthly Savings On Your Electricity Bills 
• The biggest motivator for homeowners to switch to solar is seeing an immediate savings in their next monthly electricity bill once they are installed. Across the country electricity prices continue to rise at historic rates. This is why solar in Massachusetts has become so popular. As of Feburary 2022, Massachusetts has the 4th highest electricity rates in the country. Rhode Island solar panels are also popular as they have the 5th highest electricity rates. Homeowners looking for ways to save money have found solar panels are an efficient solution that creates long-term savings. Instead of paying the local electricity company for your energy supply you are supplying your own energy from your roof or ground mount solar panels. Your solar panel installation will create enough energy to cover your monthly electricity usage so you no longer need to pay your energy provider for their energy. This means the constantly increasing electricity bill you have will now be delivered with ‘No Payment Due’ and in some cases adding credits to your account for overproduction! 
• Lifetime Of Financial and Environmental Savings 
• With solar panels those monthly savings turn into lifetime savings and a meaningful contribution to helping the environment. By creating your own energy through purchasing solar panels, you avoid paying rising electricity rates that change with the price of natural gas. In most cases, you pay a locked-in rate or loan fee for the lifetime of your solar panels. In 2022, the average price of electricity rose 7.5% from 2021, which meant more expensive electricity bills. With solar in Massachusetts, everytime the price increase that is additional savings for your household since your price stays the same. Once your solar panels are paid off, your electricity is completely free. Over the 25 year lifetime of solar panels that could equal $60,000 in savings. The additional benefit to buying solar panels is the reduction of CO2 emissions since you no longer rely on natural gas. One solar panel can offset have the same CO2 offset as planting 10 mature trees. For the average home that produces 7,000 Watts of solar power, this is the same as planting 180 trees a year. For this reason solar panels is the most significant way to decrease your carbon footprint without disrupting your current way of life. 
• Option To Lease Solar Panels or Purchase Solar Panels 
• How much money you will save on your solar panels depends on your choice to lease or buy solar panels. If you lease your solar panels then you will not have any upfront cost. Instead of paying a large sum upfront, you get panels on your roof and a locked in monthly payment. This monthly payment will be less than your current electricity bill. However, leasing solar panels can open the door for increased payments in the future if your lease agreement forces you to pay for increases in electiricty rates as the price of energy increases. 
• When you purchase solar panels there is an upfront cost which is usually paid for with a loan or cash. However, the total cost of solar will be offset by solar incentives. There are both federal solar tax credits and Massachusetts solar incentives available. These programs will decrease the total cost of solar panels and increase your savings each month and over the lifetime of your solar panels. When leasing solar panels, homeowners do not qualify for these incentives or the ability to create credits which adds up to a lot of added money over the lifetime of your solar panel installation. 
• How Much Do Solar Panels Cost? 
• Every home solar panel installation is unique. There are a lot of factors that go into determining how much solar panels will cost you. The key factors are how much energy you use, how many panels your home can support, whether you lease vs buy solar panels and what solar incentives you qualify for. The only way to know the price you will pay to install solar panels will be to get a solar quote. At Isaksen Solar, we quote solar for your home at your consultation free of charge. 
• Truth About Solar Panels
• We understand buying solar panels can be a major decision for homeowners. That is why the most important part of installing solar panels should be to find the best solar companies in MA and RI. A search of “solar companies near me” is a good starting point. The goal for every homeowner should be to find a solar company they trust. Whether its MA solar or RI solar panels, where to buy solar panels is an important question to answer. At Isaksen Solar, we aim to make the home solar panels process as simple as possible and answer all your questions.