If you are buying solar panels for your home or business and are concerned about their quality and reliability, you must check whether they come with a reliable warranty. Solar panels are expected to last for at least 20-25 years. However, there may be instances where the panels stop working earlier than anticipated. So what does a solar warranty cover? The different types of solar panel warranties will cover other things and vary in level of coverage between manufacturers.
What is a solar panel warranty?
A solar panel warranty is a guarantee provided by a manufacturer to the solar panel buyer covering defects and/or malfunctions with the product. It is issued for a fixed period (typically 15 years), and the warranty usually covers the product and the performance for another period. An important detail to be mindful of is that your solar panel system will come with warranties on the solar panels themselves, the inverter, and the way the panels are installed on your roof.
The types of solar warranties
There are two types of warranty that solar panel manufacturers offer. The first type is a performance warranty, and the second one is a product warranty.
A product warranty covers defects in the solar panel parts and components, such as the frame, junction box, and panel wiring. If there is an issue with the panel functionality or performance, the warranty will likely cover the panel. However, external damage, such as hail or a tree branch falling and breaking, is not covered. . This is usually valid for 12-15 years from the installation date. It’s important to understand that the finest solar panel warranty covers the panels’ removal, disposal, and reinstallation. Some companies only cover the cost of new panels but leave the removal and disposal up to you.
Solar panel manufacturers with 25 years of product warranty.
Top 10 solar panel manufacturers with the highest percentage of performance warranty.
Unlike diamonds, solar panels aren’t forever as their output starts to decrease throughout their usual 25-year lifespan. Solar panels are expected to degrade in their energy output slightly each year. But a performance warranty guarantees that your solar panels will still produce energy even at 25 years. A good performance warranty would show at least 84% output, while an outstanding performance is at 94% at 25 years. These warranties offer peace of mind that you will recoup your investment in your solar panel purchase. If you notice that your solar panels degrade faster than the warranty indicates, you can start by reaching out to your solar installer to initiate a claim with the manufacturer.
How do solar warranties work?
When you buy solar panels, they must be installed by a licensed and certified solar installer. If your panels stop working correctly, you will be able to initiate a claim and start troubleshooting and diagnostics. The solar installer that put your system together would be tasked with going to the property to assess the system and establish the following steps, should they still be in business. Depending on the issue, one party or another may take over. If, for example, the solar panel system wasn’t functioning because of an inverter-related issue, then the process changes course to remedy the problem correctly. Note that solar panel warranties are more nuanced because many variables outside the solar panel manufacturer’s control affect the performance of a specific solar panel installed on your roof.
Solar warranty details to check before buying
Apart from checking the manufacturers, you should keep a few more things in mind relative to the warranties while buying solar panels.
Warranty Period: You should review the warranty period of the solar panels before buying them. A typical warranty is 25 years in duration.
Warranty Type: Recall that there are two warranties when buying solar panels. The product warranty covers the integrity of the physical unit, and the performance warranty covers the solar panel’s output over time.
Warranty Details: Get yourself a copy of the manufacturer’s solar panel of the choice warranty spec sheet. Search google with something akin to “Make/model warranty sheet PDF” or “Hanwha Qcell warranty PDF,” and you will get something like this directly from the manufacturer.
Solar Inverter: The brand and model of your solar inverter can affect your solar system’s warranty experience, depending on accessibility issues. If you have a micro-inverter system where each inverter functions independently and one inverter goes out, you must replace said inverter to regain 100% functionality. Suppose this inverter is located on a hard-to-reach part of your roof and, as such, adds time and effort to the service call. In that case, you can anticipate paying more for that cost than you would if you had a single inverter system located on the ground level in your garage.
Solar Installer: Who you select as a solar installer has a big to-do in the solar warranties. We’ll leave the roof penetration warranties aside because those warranties merit their own understanding and instead focus on the caliber of the installer doing your work. This matters more than you think because if the installing party is not in the picture when you have issues, it puts the onus on understanding your course of action going forward. Let me prove it to you – if you installed an LG solar panel – find me their residential customer service phone number. I’ll wait…
The solar installer or the party that helped you buy the solar panels is equally, if not more important than the solar panel or inverter you may install. If the job is done by a competent company that wants to succeed, they’ll install the solar panels in a way that is likely to avoid issues in the first place by installing a high degree of workmanship. If you need warranty service, you find yourself in the hands of a company that can walk you through the process.
What does a solar panel warranty not cover?
A solar panel warranty does not cover damage caused by poor installation or negligence. So make sure you hire a licensed and certified solar installer to install your panels. The warranty also does not cover the general wear and tear of the panels. Your panels should last for at least 20-25 years, but they will not function as efficiently as they did when they were new. A solar panel warranty does not cover damages caused by bad weather conditions. Solar panels are designed to withstand certain weather conditions and operate efficiently even in extreme weather conditions. It does not cover damages caused by your equipment or wiring, and solar panels may not function if there is a problem with wiring or equipment. Also, solar panel warranties do not cover damage from golf balls. That would fall under home owner’s insurance.
How to best understand solar warranties
There are two ways you can do this. First, become an expert in the solar industry and learn the finer details about solar panels, inverters, installation methods, and how they all merge to offer you warranties. Then you decipher the warranty details and go about your decision-making process. The second is you speak with someone you trust. You may think becoming an expert is probably easier between those two options, and we don’t blame you. When buying a solar, the best case is you get someone hoping you’ll buy something; worst case, you’ll get someone trying to hard sell you something.
Navigating the details about warranties and understanding them to have peace of mind to let a company drill countless holes in your roof and install a big-ticket investment into your house is no small matter, and that’s why we built DroneQuote. We want to make it easy for you to find someone you trust to walk you through the proper understanding of installing solar panels in your home, alongside all the details that go with them, including the solar warranties. Our approach as a fiduciary to put your interest above all else allows us to be the kind of company to not only know our craft and answer your questions but to tell you why you shouldn’t buy if the situation doesn’t call for it. Get started understanding what solar warranties mean for you by signing up here.