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Top 9 Questions to Ask a Solar Installation Company

Top nine questions for a solar company

You know you are interested in going solar! You have been thinking about it for years and are excited about the accessibility.

There has never been a better time to go solar.  But that can be said every year. Rebates and credits aside, there has never been a more important time to take steps toward a renewable energy future.  As the technology improves and solar pricing drops, a solar system can be a reality for your home or business.  Yes, it has just been announced that there will be solar tariffs on panels for the next 5 years and it is important to understand the impact of the tariffs. But even with the tariffs, solar is a great investment, and, the federal tax credit and (until it’s gone) a solar rebate for Duke Energy customers make that investment even better!

Wow.  A lot to take in right there.  Simply said though, given the current mix of the need to protect the environment, pricing, credits and rebates, it IS the perfect time to go solar.

This is Where it Gets Tricky & Tips to Navigate the Clutter

You may do a simple “solar panel installation company” search on the web, and get many results that may or may not be relevant.  If you saw our listing, then you came to the right place!  What needs to be said though, is that there are a lot of companies out there.  Many are legitimate installers that take care of customers.  But there are more that are in it for a quick buck, either small and inexperienced or large and experienced, swooping in on a “hot solar market” only to leave after the installation is complete.  In the past couple of years, with the favorable North Carolina solar conditions, there have been websites with no installation services at all.  They are just trying to get your information to pass along (or sell to installers).  If a company is all about solar and protecting and guiding the customer, it is great for the solar industry.  Anything else is considered to have a negative impact on the perception of solar and ultimately a negative for the customer.  One of Yes Solar Solutions core values is that we set industry standards, we are committed to the customer, each other and the environment.  It guides everything we do!

If Facebook is your thing, you may have seen some sponsored ads.  Yes Solar Solutions does this too, but there is competition from national and local companies touting “Free” solar, or that the government will pay for your solar.  It can be hard to keep track of all the lingo that is thrown around. We can help sort it out!  We make solar accessible, we want you to have a great experience and provide information to you, that makes going solar simple.

Have you ever seen the picture of a guy with his hand on his head, seemingly frustrated because he can’t sort through all the solar quotes?  That site and others like it want your information to pass it along to solar companies to bid.  There is a built-in fee (to the bidding companies) in those bids, so you are getting a low price bid where quality equipment, installation, and service are often not the most important criteria.  If you go through one of those sites, you are likely looking at price alone, which can cause issues down the road!  Solar is an investment.  It is important to protect your investment with companies that have clear warranties, a track record of quality installations and that are accredited. Also, beware companies that offer discount specials or percentages off a system price!

We know you are going to shop around for solar, and we welcome that, so we came up with the top 9 questions to ask a solar company.  The answers you get will help you make a well-informed decision based on your needs and energy goals.

Top 9 Questions for a Solar Company

  1. Is your company NABCEP accredited? (The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners uses third-party evaluations of randomly selected jobs, only the highest quality installation companies pass inspection and qualify for accreditation.  Yes is the only NABCEP accredited solar installer in the Carolinas.)
  2. How long has your company been in business and how many installations like mine have you completed? (Yes was founded in 2009 by Stew and Kathy Miller, who still own and operate the company, and has completed over 800 solar projects, large and small.)
  3. Can you provide me with past customer references/referrals?  (Yes we can!  This is a more accurate way to evaluate than online reviews, which carry the risk of being less than authentic. Yes also uses a third-party customer satisfaction survey called Guild Quality to independently measure our results, which are Five Star with 86 reviews so far.)
  4. How long will the installation process take?  (The actual installation time for a residential system is typically 1-3 days.)
  5. Are the people who will be working on my project (installers, electricians, etc.) full-time, in-house employees of your company? (Yes at Yes!)
  6. Do you offer a guarantee on the power production estimate listed in your proposal? (Yes guarantees within 10% of estimated generation for the first 5 years.)
  7. What type/brand of racking system will you use to mount the panels on my roof, and is the proposal for Tier 1 solar panels?  (Yes uses the high-quality SnapNRack, and only Tier 1 panels like REC or Sunpower.)
  8. Is there any risk of additional fees, unforeseen costs, or change-orders once installation begins? (We provide a turnkey project including all engineering, permitting, interconnection requests and commissioning.)
  9. Does your company have dedicated service personnel on staff to service systems post-installation if any problems were to occur? (Yes provides a comprehensive package of post-installation customer care documents like warranties, permits, plans and manuals.  Our experienced Quality Manager handles any issues (though rare!) promptly.

Yes Solar Solutions will always deliver the best value at a competitive price.  We will provide the highest quality equipment, and with our NABCEP accreditation and in-house installation team, we install efficient, custom designed solar solutions based on your energy goals, securing your investment in solar and the future of our planet.  We look forward to sharing our passion for solar and providing you with an unbeatable and affordable solar experience.

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