How to pick the best solar installer
There are plenty of reputable solar installers out there. How can you distinguish the best from the rest? We consider the following questions before allowing installers to join the EnergySage Marketplace.
Do they quote high-quality equipment?
High-quality installers care about their reputation. They want to install equipment that performs well and will last a long time. If you get quotes with equipment that you can’t find much data about, that’s a red flag.
To get a sense of whether the equipment is trustworthy, first make sure it’s included in EnergySage’s solar panel, inverter, or battery equipment guide–and then see how we rate it relative to other equipment.
You can also check to see if the installer has any manufacturer endorsements, which attest to their expertise installing that brand’s products. Most manufacturers require installers to go through a vetting process to ensure they’re appropriately licensed and qualified before handing them an endorsement. The endorsements often come with perks that are passed onto customers, like preferred pricing or extended warranties.
How does their warranty compare to other installers?
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with your solar panel system, it’s important to know who to call. Multiple warranties come with your solar panel system, including manufacturer warranties for the various equipment and your installer’s workmanship warranty.
The workmanship warranty covers all the labor your installer performs. It’s typically somewhere between one and 10 years. But make sure to read the fine print because sometimes there are exclusions: You don’t want to be stuck with a hefty bill if your installer needs to come out to check on or replace some equipment.
How many years of experience do they have?
Solar is a growing industry that attracts contractors from many backgrounds—sometimes only loosely related to solar. But to feel confident in your solar panels, you’ll want to work with an installer that has plenty of experience in custom designing systems.
At EnergySage, we verify that all installers have at least two to three years of legitimate experience designing and installing solar panel systems before we let them join our Marketplace. We also confirm they have multiple successful installations under their belt.