Questions to ask a solar company

We saw an article out of Oregon about a woman who had a visitor at her door trying to sell her solar. The man claimed to be from her utility but couldn’t produce any identification to prove it.

We can understand her uneasiness–a stranger at her door, showing up uninvited during a pandemic. And then being cagey about who he works for.

When vetting solar companies, here are some questions to ask:

—How long has your company been installing solar in Washington or Oregon?
—Do you use subcontractors?
—What is your company’s safety rating?
—What do your warranties cover and for how long?
—What is your guaranteed system production?
—How many of your staff have NABCEP certifications? (This is the gold standard in solar.)
—Do you have a list of references that we could speak to?
—Do you install solar on public or commercial buildings too? (In order to even bid on commercial work, a company must be able to demonstrate strong financials. This will say a lot about whether a company will be around if you need them.)