Residential solar has the potential to solve the energy crisis staring at the world and save the planet from greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, the solar industry is not immune to bad players, who mislead homeowners for personal gain.
Customers are often promised incredibly low prices, unreal cost savings, or other freebies that sound great on paper but leave them with a bad investment that’s either too expensive to operate or just doesn’t deliver on its promises.
The good news is you can avoid such solar scams by following these steps:
- Do Your Research and Know What’s Real
Once you know your monthly or annual power consumption, you can use it to find out the rough solar power generation capacity you need for your house. That will give you the number of panels you require and their respective costs. Some rough estimates on other equipment will bring you to the ballpark. You can then account for the installation costs charged by the installer.
If you have considered the products and prices of reputed, established brands in the business, then the prices you determine should be somewhere near the industry average.
If you have the time and patience, you can even create a list of brands and products that qualify your individual standards for quality.
- Avoid Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers
Rock-bottom prices usually mean rock-bottom quality. If you are getting a great quote on the same branded products that you shortlisted in your research, then by all means, go ahead with the installer.
However, if the installer is pushing another company’s products, then it’s likely because those products are cheap. Solar equipment is a long-term commitment. Try to get the longest warranty you can get. Some of the best brands offer 25-year warranties.
- Compare Direct Quotes
We strongly advise against relying on quotes obtained from online quote generators. They are inaccurate, if not deliberately misleading. Instead, get in touch with solar installers of your choice and get quotes from them directly.
When you compare these quotes, you can see the differences and ask them questions on what those differences mean for your solar system. A fair bit of research on these differences online can also help you uncover more details.
- Check Reviews
Reviews by other customers like you are the most reliable sources of information on solar companies. Mind you, there’s no dearth of companies trying to tamper with the reviews to tilt public opinion in their favor, so it’s best if you can reach out to some of the installer’s past customers for feedback. Most installers wouldn’t mind sharing references of their clients. So, that should help you get a more hands-on understanding of the installer’s services.
A solar array is designed to operate for over 20-years, so do your research before committing to an installer.
