As West Virginia’s number one rated solar installer for several years running, with more than 2,200 customers and over a decade of building solar in central Appalachia, we’ve seen our share of questionable installers come and go.  

Now, don’t get us wrong. We’re certainly proud to be our home state’s go to and most trusted installer, but we fully recognize that we’re by no means the only reputable solar shop in the region. In fact, we encourage folks to gather quotes from several companies– both so you have an apples to apples comparison, and because meeting with a qualified installer is a really good way to educate yourself about how solar works and if it’s a good fit for you. 

That said, the sad truth is that the solar industry has been known to attract bad actors from time to time. And unfortunately, we’ve had a recent influx of tips that questionable players are canvassing our region with outrageous solar promises and prices. Regardless of who you choose to work with, there are a few basics we’d like to share so you can enter your solar sales meeting with some foundational knowledge. And so you can spot some of the red flags when you see them. 

Solar 101: You’re gonna need sunshine.

Solar is not going to make sense for every location. For example, if you live deep in a holler or under a canopy of pine trees chances are, you’re not getting enough sunlight to justify adding solar. A quality installer will conduct a full sunlight and shade analysis and show you how much sunlight you’re getting, where it’s hitting your roof (or yard, in the case of a ground mount), and what that equates to in energy production. You want a solar company that’s willing to tell you the truth about your solar potential, even if it means fewer sales for them.  

You also want an installer to evaluate your past utility bills. This is necessary to understand your energy consumption needs so the system is sized appropriately. A trustworthy installer will size your system to correlate with your energy usage. Not sell you an oversized system to pad their commission check simply because you’ve got more available roof space.

Here are some guidelines you can use as you start to research solar companies:

Where are they from? Solar is construction and construction is local. You want a locally-based installer that has a brick and mortar location somewhere in your region.

How do they back up their claims? If they’re worth their salt, they’ll stand behind their numbers with a production guarantee. You also want to confirm that they offer workmanship and product warranties.

Do they employ their own installation teams, or is it subcontracted out? The most successful and transparent companies are vertically integrated. You want a professional team that works cohesively with specific expertise and experience in solar. You also want them to be well versed in the solar energy policies of your state.

Do they have a service department? What if you have questions or need service over the life of your system? Do they have a designated team for service needs? 

How are their third-party reviews? It’s a good idea to do a little research into their reputation.

How did the sales experience feel? You don’t want a company that relies on aggressive sales tactics or inflates the benefits of solar. If a deal seems too good to be true or requires that you sign immediately, proceed with caution. 

We’ve seen how destructive it can be when folks are taken advantage of by disreputable solar installers and we want you to be empowered with the knowledge to protect yourself. Here’s a check list you can use as you start to weigh your options.

A reputable solar installer will:

• Be home grown
• Have local/regional brick and mortar
• Have in-house installation crews
• Have production guarantees
• Have a service department
• Use customer referral programs
• Have positive third-party reviews
• Not rely on aggressive sales tactics
• Not inflate the benefits of solar

A questionable solar company might:

• Have no local connection
• Outsource their installations to subcontractors 
• Not have a service department
• Not stand behind their work with guarantees or warranties 
• Inflate the benefits of solar
• Spread misleading information about costs
• Spread false information about other solar companies 
• Lack expertise in state-level solar policy
• Have a lot of negative third-party reviews 
• IMPORTANT: A legitimate solar company will never ask for a copy of your W2s or your social security number just to build a proposal

 

We hope you choose us when you decide to go solar, but even if you don’t, we hope you make an informed decision and know how to identify a qualified, dependable installer. And always get multiple quotes!