Best Residential Solar Installers: Easy Steps to Choose the Right Company
Solar Panel installation is a big investment. So, it is important to select everything right from the solar energy system to the installer for the best results. While going solar, the most challenging task for a homeowner is to choose the best residential solar installers.
With the increasing solar trend, there are hundreds of solar installers in the market who claim that they are the best. At this step, the critical task is to find the best residential solar installers near you.
It is also a difficult task to choose the best installer among the different solar installers around your house. So, how do you evaluate a skilled, licensed, and experienced solar installation company that offers high-quality solar panels?
When selecting residential solar installers, you should research the repute of the installation company. It is important to make sure about suitable licenses and certifications required for the solar installation. Also, you should analyze that they have the expertise to design the best fit solar energy system for your home according to your needs.
When you select an installer, you want to make sure that it’s a reputable installation company. Also, it has all the solar licenses and certifications required in your state.
For your convenience, we have analyzed some major steps which can help you to find the best residential solar installers for your home!
7 Steps for Best Solar Installer Selection:
1- Identify the Residential Solar Installers Near You
The first step of the process is to identify the residential solar installation companies around you for the installation. You can make a list of solar installers who have good ratings.
While solar panel installation, you have to be in contact with your solar installation company mostly. The solar PV system installers buy solar panels and other necessary components from solar equipment manufacturers to install your panels.
In other words, you can say that if you contact a solar installer near you for your solar energy system installation, they will be responsible for everything required.
Solar installers will do a site evaluation before installing your solar panels. This is to inspect your roof and take any necessary measurements. Installers will determine if your installation requires any special considerations during their site visits.
2- Request & Compare Multiple Solar Quotes
Once you are done with listing solar installers, the next step is to ask them for a quote for estimation according to your home needs.
For solar installations, different solar energy companies charge different rates. Some solar installers are more competitive compared to others.
Cost-per-watt is the most common method to make a quote for a home. Depending on the size of your system, your solar installer should charge you a flat rate. You may obtain a better price and a baseline to evaluate the top solar panel installers by receiving various quotations.
Mostly, solar providers will plan a visit to your home to determine rates accurately. During this, you can ask them about
- The permits required for solar installers from city & state
- How many solar panels do you need?
- What solar warranties they are offering?
To ensure that the rate you received is competitive, you should search for as many residential solar installers as possible and obtain multiple solar quotations. You can save n your solar panel installation by doing so.
Also, solar installation is a lifetime investment in your home. So, you should have a good working relationship with the solar installation.
There is always a lot of work that remains even after the solar panels are installed on your rooftop. It’s also important to select a reliable solar installer that guarantees after-installation services.
3- Select the Installer with Expertise
The solar installer which you choose must be an expert in the field To determine what the standards of a solar installer are, you need to check if your company passes the NABCEP test. And also, it should have at least two years of hands-on experience in solar or a similar industry.
The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is the best national standard certification program available. The best residential solar installers are NABCEP certified (NABCEP). You can also lookup reviews for solar companies, especially those that do not have NABCEP certification.
4- Inquire about the Solar Insurance & License of the Installer
solar panels installers should have all of the necessary business licenses and insurance coverage or at the very least a C-10 license. This is a general electrical contractor’s license. Make sure they’re licensed to work on your system’s wiring and electrical components.
Electrician, performance license, and general contract are the common types of licenses for installation companies. Installers should also be OSHA certified and have general liability insurance.
5- Evaluate the Solar Company Experience & Records
Solar power is a booming sector that attracts people from all walks of life. Finding the best residential solar installers with a lot of experience and a long track record can be difficult. But it has a lot of benefits.
You want to make sure that your solar company will not leave your project before completion. Also, one that will continue to assist long after the installation process is done.
The solar panel installation isn’t the most important aspect of a positive solar installation experience. However, the after-installation services matter. A solar installer should also be able to provide and show you the previous systems installed by them for trust.
6- Investigation of the Solar Installer Credibility & Repute
Evaluating the previous customer reviews or viewing their previous work is the best approach to assess a solar installer’s reputation. Platforms like Yelp, BBB, Google, Solar Reviews, and EnergySage reviews can help you to analyze the repute of a solar panel company.
Moreover, customers that give reviews and ratings can be a good representation of your service. Ratings and reviews will give you a heads-up about your solar installer’s image. If you notice a trend of customer complaints, you should likely deal with a different installation.
7- Check out the Solar Installer’s Workmanship Warranties
A workmanship warranty reflects all issues that occur as a result of a faulty installation. The repairs will be covered by the warranty if a panel is faulty.
Most solar panel installers offer a solar warranty between 5-25 years. But, You must be aware of the trap of new, unknown companies that offer extended warranties. The installer can offer you a solar warranty of 25-30 years. However, there is no assurance that they will stay long enough to see it through.
If a company offers an extended warranty, you must first make analyze that they have a proven track record in the solar industry.
Concluding, finding the best residential solar installers in such a competitive solar market is a critical task. But, by following the above steps, you will be able to compare various solar installers and choose the best for your home.
SolarSME also provides qualified homeowners with affordable energy options. We manage the entire process from solar enrollment through custom design, engineering, licensing, installation, and activation of each device to ensure a smooth transition to renewable energy.
The installer offers its customers the ongoing services of maintenance and other performance issues. Whenever you feel that the system is not performing well, you can report our project manager about it. And we always try to resolve our customer’s issues on a priority basis.
Have a look at the complete installation guide for understanding.
