Solar Warranties and Service Departments Explained

Most solar installation companies do not have a service department. Although your solar panels may have a warranty, if there is a problem, you may be told to call the manufacturer directly.

So what happens if you have a solar lease and something goes wrong? If you lease solar, you don’t own the system; the leasing company owns it. Most solar leases “guarantee performance,” – meaning that they promise in writing to deliver a certain amount of energy in kilowatt-hour output every year. As long as you have internet monitoring so that they can confirm everything is functioning correctly (because they monitor, too), your system will be covered by the leasing company for the full twenty-year term.

In our case, because we have a service department, solar manufacturers often contact us to take care of warranty issues – for both leased and purchased systems.

But what happens if the solar panel manufacturer is out of business? It's a good question and one that more people should ask. At Sun Valley Solar Solutions, we like to work with publicly-traded solar manufacturers, which are legally required to have large warranty reserves. In the worst-case scenario, you will still be covered even if your installer and manufacturer are gone.

In some cases, for purchased solar systems (as opposed to leased ones), we recommend getting an extended warranty exclusively for the solar inverter part of the system through the inverter manufacturer. This will extend the replacement coverage from 10 years to 20 years. Many of the alternative, independent extended warranties cover both parts and labor. But because solar photovoltaic systems have few moving parts (if any), and require virtually no maintenance, this often isn’t necessary. The price of replacing the inverter in the future could be less than the extended warranty cost.

Here at Sun Valley Solar Solutions, we made the decisions: 1) we only work with the best manufacturers that have very few warranty issues, and 2) we won’t just sell solar but additionally have a complete service department to ensure our customers are 100% satisfied with us.

We have alliances with major manufacturers, including SunPower, SunEdison, and SolarWorld, and we have been in business since 2006. We’re considered one of the leading solar installers in the nation by the solar industry, with the best track record for installation excellence and long-term solar system performance.

We can be your solution when a less stable solar installer goes out of business, and we will service most systems. We will take away the headache of working with your manufacturer when possible. And when we can’t, we will advise on the best, most affordable resolution for you.

Of course, we service everything we install. We’re so confident in our work that we provide a ten-year warranty on artistry even though the state of Arizona only requires two.

Over the years, consumers have asked us to expand what we do in the service department. Some of the other requested services Sun Valley Solar Solutions offers are:

• Electric vehicle charging stations.
• System monitoring services.
• Consumption meters.
• Referrals to a reputable pigeon and wildlife company that can install a wildlife guard on your solar panels.
• Referrals to reputable panel cleaning companies if you so desire.
• System maintenance plans.
• Quality solar audit/inspection. (needed when buying/selling a home)
• Removal and reinstall of solar systems for re-roofing.
• System Moves. (from one house to another)

If you have any questions or would like to talk about your solar system, call (480) 689-5050 or email us at service@sunvalleysolar.com, and we will get right back to you.

Are you interested in solar for your home or business? If so, please contact our team for a complimentary consultation today!