How to Choose a Solar Installation Provider: What You Need to Know
Promoting the old way of creating energy is hard when so many renewable sources exist. You don’t want to pollute the world anymore, so you turn to other options that are cleaner and more efficient. And when the United States has enough renewable energy sources to provide 100 times the power it needs to power everything, solar panels, and other options are attractive.
The good news is that you can also take advantage of this as a consumer. For most people, this means installing solar panels.
Are you getting ready to choose a solar installation provider? Read on below to learn what to look for when looking at options for solar providers.
Take Location Into Consideration
A local installer makes a big difference in home improvement projects. The building regulations can vary significantly based on where you live. A few miles can make a massive difference if you live on the edge of a locality.
You need to work with a company that’s qualified to work in your area. See if they have a local presence and do work in your area.
When you do this, you’ll increase your chances of finding solar installers that know your local rules and will perform the installation correctly. Your solar panels will pass the inspection the first time.
Nail Your Requirements
It’s a mistake to go to a solar provider empty-handed. It’s hard for a company to provide quotes and services when you don’t know what you want.
There are some important considers you need to think about when installing solar panels:
- Do you want to power your home fully?
- What tax credits are available?
- How much roof space do you have?
- What type of solar panels do you want?
Yes, an installer can help you with some of these questions. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare and nail some of these questions yourself. It will help you avoid falling into sales traps and help you get the exact solar installation you need.
Look for Certifications
Solar panel installation isn’t like much of the home improvement energy. Outside of electrical work, you aren’t dealing with electricity and work with standard materials. Solar panels have more complexity, so you need additional skills.
That’s why there are organizations available that offer certifications to solar installers. If an individual or company works hard to acquire these certifications, it’s a sign that they are highly skilled and will work hard for their customers.
Look for organizations like the PV Installer Specialist and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. If a company has certifications from these organizations, it’s a sign that they are an excellent company to work with.
Compare Costs Carefully
Many people make the mistake of working with the first home contractor they speak with. They don’t spend time talking to other local providers and trust they’ll get the best deal from that one company.
That’s not the case. You never know what deals you’ll pass up if you don’t get as many construction quotes as possible.
At a bare minimum, look for quotes from at least three solar companies. From there, look at all the services offered when comparing solar installation costs to see which company offers the best value.
Just be sure you get quotes from people who understand all your needs and won’t make general quotes based on minimal information.
Explore Your Warranties
Since you’re spending so much money on your solar installation, you don’t want to pay your provider without any form of guarantee. Even if you find the best professional in your area, there’s still a chance of something going wrong.
You need protection for when this happens. Reputable companies will go above and beyond to help when this happens, but less reputable ones will try to get by ignoring your issues.
A warranty will protect you from paying more than necessary when something goes wrong. Review the standard industry warranties and compare them with what your options offer.
Pick an Installation Timeline
You won’t always be able to get solar panels installed whenever you want. The contractor industry has a worker shortage, which means companies don’t have the hands to handle all the work and have large delays.
This is also true in the solar industry. Popular installers have backlogs that cause people to wait months for their job to be completed.
If you don’t want to wait forever for your solar panels, you’ll need to find a company without as much work. You may not be able to find someone to help you immediately. But you should be able to find someone that can get to your home in a reasonable time.
Read Customer Feedback
Solar company representatives aren’t the only people you should learn from when looking for a solar installer. You’re getting a sales pitch when speaking to those people. If you want to learn the truth, it pays to hear from people who have been in your shoes before.
Reading online reviews is a great way to do this. You can get an unbiased perspective from people who have worked with local solar contractors before.
You can find reviews right on Google and check out the full webpage for those companies on the reviews page.
Choose a Solar Installation Provider Carefully
A solar installation costs a lot of money. Even with tax credits, you’ll spend many years paying what you owe. The last thing you want is for that money to go to a solar installation that doesn’t offer what you expected.
That’s why you need to choose a solar installation provider that can examine your needs and provide a proper solar installation. Use the guide above to look through your options and find a company that offers an amazing solar installation experience.
Are you planning to make other improvements to your home? Head back to the blog to learn how to turn your home into your dream place to live.
