The residential solar industry has experienced a boom in the past decade, with hundreds of thousands of installations completed each year across the United States. In response, countless solar companies have cropped up to meet this demand and get a slice of the pie. But unfortunately, not all of those businesses have lasted, leaving some homeowners with solar systems on their property and no company to support them.
Cascadia Solar has been providing solar services on the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas since 2008, and we’re the trusted name that homeowners call when their previous installer goes out of business. Our locally-owned and operated parent company, Frederickson Electric, has been in business for over half a century, so you can trust that we’re not going anywhere.
Here’s what you can expect if your solar company goes out of business, and how our experts can step in.
Issues You Face When Your Solar Company Goes Out of Business
When a solar company closes its doors, every past customer is left with an installation that they are now responsible for. Usually, everything still works as intended: the panels continue producing electricity, and you continue enjoying lower utility bills. But things can get complicated as time goes on. Some common problems homeowners have to deal with include:
- Maintenance: While solar arrays are designed to function for years without much upkeep, you might encounter issues with inverter faults, wiring, or output. Who takes care of these problems when the original installer goes out of business?
- Loss of Warranties: Many solar companies provide a workmanship warranty, but this is gone if they close up shop. It’s not always easy to find the manufacturer’s warranty without their help, either.
- Degrading Performance: Sudden issues can result in performance degradation, but this is typically monitored and corrected by the installer. Without them around, it isn’t always easy to tell if your panels are underperforming.
What Happens If Your Solar Company Goes Out of Business During Installation?
This isn’t an ideal scenario, but it can occur. You might have solar panels installed on your roof, but there’s no inverter in your home. Or maybe the infrastructure is all there, but it’s not connected to the grid, so you can’t benefit from net metering. Many times, the solar companies that have gone out of business leave behind poorly installed systems that need to be fixed.
While other solar companies may be reluctant to jump in and finish an incomplete installation, Cascadia Solar doesn’t hesitate. We have a proven history of taking over other contractors’ work and helping homeowners finish their solar upgrade. We can evaluate your existing system, identify flaws in workmanship, and perform corrective actions that help you achieve the energy goals you were striving for in the first place.
How Cascadia Solar Can Help
At Cascadia Solar, we’re on a mission to get (and keep) as many solar panels pointed at the sun as possible. That commitment stands regardless of the original installer. If your solar company shut its doors, or you simply didn’t have a good experience with your original installer, we’re here to help.
You can rely on us for comprehensive solar maintenance. If your solar array isn’t performing as well as it used to, our licensed electricians will troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair your issues. We can:
- Replace panels with microcracks, delamination, hotspots, or burnt-out cells.
- Connect our 24/7 online monitoring services (may require a compatible inverter replacement).
- Resolve inverter faults, or replace inverters that have reached the end of their lifespan.
- Fix communication and monitoring issues.
- Optimize equipment to enhance efficiency.
- Repair loose mounts and hardware.
- Find and submit manufacturer warranty requests.
Why You Can Trust Us
Over the past 18 years, we have consistently stepped up to help homeowners when their solar contractors have gone out of business. The main difference between Cascadia Solar and your previous solar company is our reputation. We’re electricians first, so we can handle every element of your solar array, from the panels to the wiring, inverter, battery storage system, and grid connection.
If your installer is no longer around, you can count on us to take over and continue servicing your solar panel system for its remaining lifespan.
