Although solar power is a relatively young industry, many homeowners are choosing to make the big switch to solar. The demand is rising, and more and more solar panel technicians are advertising their services because of it. You’ve the response is so high, you now have multiple solar system specialists servicing the same area.
And while this may sound like good news, there’s a slight downside to this; more technicians means more solar system installers to choose from—all skilled, all experienced, and all certified.
Filtering through your options may not be impossible, but it also won’t be easy. If you’re wondering, ‘how do I choose the best solar installer near me?,’ then you’ve found the right article. Here are a few tips to help you decide:
1. EXPERIENCE
Ask how long they’ve been installing solar. Every expert was once a beginner, but when it comes to solar installation, experience matters a lot. When people are installing equipment in your home—equipment that does something as complex as allowing you to generate energy and (in some cases) sell it back to the grid—you need someone who knows what they’re doing.
Aside from asking how long they’ve been in this business, you also need to make sure your solar installer is licensed, insured, and certified in your state. Ask to see their credentials before you hire them. The best solar technicians have certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).
2. BUDGET
Check the payment options they offer. Homeowners generally have a lot of options to pay for a home solar panel installation. However, not all companies offer all those options. Although leasing may work for some, there are companies that simply don’t allow it. This is why it’s not practical to just hire the first returned result from a ‘solar installers near me,’ search—you might not be amenable to their payment conditions.
When discussing your plan with a solar installation company, ask them up front for all their compensation options. This helps you compare options and prices amongst other viable installers. Be sure to clarify any and all potential fees that may be charged to your system, should you have it connected to the grid.
3. LONGEVITY
Find out what’s under the warranty. Nothing’s worse than getting your entire solar system installed and then having your unit break down a week later. One of the best ways to filter your solar company options is to ask them about their warranty. Find out what their standard operating procedure is once something goes wrong before, during, and after the installation process.
4. TESTIMONIALS
Search for reviews and rating. In this day and age, it’s much easier to check how reliable a company is by going online. With just a couple key strokes and a few clicks, you can easily find verified customer reviews about your top choice for solar installer. You can also check the overall rating of the company and the metrics that warrant that specific rating.
You will of course want to choose a company with high ratings and mostly positive reviews. But when all is said and done, it all boils down to gut instinct. If the company looks great on paper and checks all the boxes but you just don’t feel right hiring them? Don’t. Go with a solar specialist that you feel good about working with.
When you enter ‘best solar installers near me,’ into the Google search bar, be prepared for an onslaught of recommendations. But as long as you do your research and maybe follow the above tips, rest assured you won’t have too hard a time finding the best solar installer for you.
