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Advice on Choosing a Solar Installer for Your Home by Maureen Tusim

I am often asked by friends for advice on choosing a solar installer since I work in this industry, so I am passing along the advice I give them. We recently had a 9.9 kW SunPower system installed at our home by GeoGenix and we love it!!

I have received a few calls from friends across the country asking me about companies offering a "community discount" or "group purchasing" program. Before selecting an installer based on price alone, I advise them that their solar system is a 30+ year investment, so it is important to choose a company that provides quality design and installation, and who will also be around to service their system in the years to come.

There are basically two ways to receive a community discount. One typical way is that a lead generation company runs a huge marketing campaign offering group purchasing discounts on solar. They typically offer a request for proposals out to various solar installers and select one of them. With these programs, you typically don't have a choice of installer or limited or no choice on the type of solar panel. If you like the installer and the panels they offer, then it can be a great deal for you.

The other way is to choose an installer you feel will provide you with a quality installation and with the type of panel you want (they are not all created equal). Then ask them if they will provide a community discount if you get your friends and neighbors interested. Most installers will be interested in offering this type of discount since there are operational efficiencies realized by installing systems in the same community. With this approach, you get to pick the installer based on their quality and reputation as well as the type of panel that is the best solution for your home.

Here are a few questions that homeowners should consider asking potential installers:

How many years have they been in the solar business? How many residential solar installations have they done? Many companies have recently entered the solar business, so they may have been in construction or a related industry for years, so be sure to ask how many of those years are ones installing solar.
Do they have installations in your area you can drive by and see how they look? I've seen some beautiful and as well as some not so great solar installations, so look at their installations and compare them to others done by competitors. There is one down the street from me where the installer never trimmed off the racking that extends past the panels and there are large gaps between panels that make it a less than attractive installation.
Do they have references you can talk to? Any reputable company will gladly offer references you can talk with.
Do they use their own employees for installations or do they subcontract the work? Be sure to know who is going to be doing the work on your house and what type of training and experience they have.
Do they guarantee the kilowatt hour production of your system? After investing in a solar system, you want to be guaranteed that it will produce the kilowatt hours they say it will.
Do they have NABCEP certified designers/installers? Do they have licensed electricians on staff? NABCEP is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and reputable installers will have that certification.
What do the panels look like? Do they offer all black panels (black panels and black frame) that are considered by many homeowners to be more attractive than blue panels or black panels with "silver" frames? Do they offer a panel without the "grid" lines showing on top of the panels? (There are many types of panels available from different manufacturers, so be sure to find out the exact model being offered.)
How efficient are the panels? If you take the wattage of the panel and divide it by the dimensions (square feet), you will be able to compare how much power they will produce in the same amount of roof space. Panels vary in efficiency, so if you don't have much south-facing roof space, be sure to take a look at high efficiency panels that will produce the same amount of power in about half the space.
What does the racking system that mounts the panels to your roof look like? Is it silver or black (anodized aluminum)? If you have black panels, black racking provides a more streamlined look.
How do they seal the penetrations into your roof? Caulking does not hold up as well as both flashing and caulking over the 30+ year life of the system.
What kind of warranties do they offer? Some companies offer comprehensive warranties that cover both the inverters and panels.
What type of financing do they offer? Ask if they offer Same-As-Cash or other financing programs.
Does the system include a web-based data monitoring system? I enjoy being able to see how much my system is producing on my blackberry or computer, but these systems are also important to quickly identify if any of your panels are not functioning properly.
Do they monitor your system for problems? Ask your installer if they are automatically alerted of problems with your system so that they can address them quickly.

There are many considerations in choosing a solar installer, so please do your homework and thoroughly check out the company to ensure you are making an informed decision. I would love if everyone that is a good candidate decided to go solar, but I also want to make sure that they choose wisely and are happy for years with their decision. Good luck!!