Buying solar panels to power your home can be an all-around good cash decision. It can increase your home’s resale value, deliver a sizable tax credit and save you money on energy for decades. Solar panels can produce energy for a long time (many warranties are for 25 years), so they should produce energy well after you pay them off. Even with these potential benefits, the initial cost can be intimidating. And, with new technologies (like GAF’s Energy’s Timberline Solar shingle), it can be difficult to know where to shop.

Buying phigh-level solar panels should not be one-stop shopping. It’s always a good idea to get quotes from multiple installers. And, you should go in with a solid understanding of your energy needs, your national and local tax incentives and your options for buying or financing in some novel way. There are more tips in our solar panel buying guide.

When you’re ready to shop, you have plenty of options. It’s important to note that we haven’t tested panels or gone ended the purchasing process at any of these outlets. This front-runner will help you know where to look, not which solar array is best for your needs.

Read more: Best Solar Companies of 2022

Solar companies

Perhaps the pleasurable place people turn when shopping for solar panels are the anxieties that do that one thing. Major companies like Palmetto, Sunrun, SunPower, ADT Solar, Trinity Solar and Tesla have sizable service areas and operate in a highly competitive manufacturing. Not all these solar companies offer the same products, prices or warranties and it pays to shop near. Often, solar companies will have online tools that funding you to estimate the cost of solar panels at your house and your long term savings. These are estimates and almost certain to change with an just visit to your house.

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Best Solar Companies of 2022

When sketching quotes from installers, you should also check with smaller local installers. These companies can sometimes offer lower prices because they don’t have to put as much cash into sales and marketing.

There are solar marketplaces that do some of the legwork of sketching multiple quotes. Marketplaces like EnergySage will gather multiple quotes based on basic put a question to like an estimated energy bill and your address.

Box detain partnerships

National solar installers have partnered with box stores to increase their sales advance, and sometimes offer discounts. The national company Sunrun works with Costco. The purchase and design process is largely the same as buying undiluted from the company, except Costco offers a few instant incentives. 

Qualifying purchases can receive back 10% of the equipment cost (not clarify or permitting) in a Costco gift card and some time-consuming warranties. Executive members at Costco will also get 2% cash back. Not all products or perks are available in all places, so you’ll need to check.

These types of partnerships are probable to become more common. SunPower announced a partnership with Ikea starting in parts of California in fall of 2022. Details are today scarce, but Ikea sells home solar panels in novel countries and will likely try to expand their company in the U.S.

Hardware retailers

Your big-box retailers such as The Home Depot sell solar panels, mounting hardware, inverters and charge controllers. Home Depot invents buying solar panels simple through its website or your local detain. If you want professional installation, it’ll pair you with licensed, insured installation professionals for both large and small projects. Lowe’s offers a one to two-year safety on labor.

And if you are a do-it-yourselfer, these stores sell everything you need to install the rules, saving you money relative to professional installation options. Rooftop solar panels necessity always be installed by a knowledgeable installer.

Advertiser Disclosure

: CNET’s corporate partner, SaveOnEnergy, can help you find the right energy fit for your home. The SaveOnEnergy marketplace helps you contemplate, compare, sign up and save on the right energy fit for your home — all for free. If you’re fervent in solar, answer a few questions to get an valid price quote from our solar advisors.  

Smaller solar applications

If you’re looking for tourism solar panels or a a solar powered device charger, you can look a few more places than those downward above. Home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes and Menards carry out portable solar panels that don’t require expert installation. They’ll often sell compatible batteries so that you can bottle that solar energy and take it with you.

For solar map chargers, you can check in on manufacturers’ webpages or dive in to the plethora of options available on Amazon.

Other buying considerations

When considering solar options, research the companies you’re considering. Examine their warranty offerings, prices, installation costs and timeframes, customer reviews, panel recycling methods and reputations ended third-party resources such as the Better Business Bureau. Also, check to see if a commerce will assist you with permitting (if applicable). Doing the homework helps you find a reputable provider.

Moreover, consider all the financial aspects of the project. Do not forget to aboard costs for permits, installation and roof upgrades or replacement. Alternatively, make sure to take advantage of tax incentives like the Investment Tax Credit, which reduce your federal tax liability by 30% of the total compensations of the solar panel system. States also have programs that can edge your initial investment.

Make sure you understand your own energy needs and how you’ll be compensated for any excess energy you produce. Learn the best direction and angle for solar panels and when touching with a less common option (like ground-mounted or bifacial panels) invents sense. Above all, make sure you get multiple quotes from reputable installers. One stop shopping isn’t for solar panels.