Top Questions to Questions to Ask Solar Companies Before Going Solar in 2024

All of our design and installation work at Forme Solar is done in-house and that is part of how we ensure quality. By intimately understanding the elements and reasoning behind our design and installation practices, our teams understand that each house is different and avoid taking a cookie-cutter approach.

As one of the few solar companies that has built a business around repairs for systems we did not install, our customers get immediate responses and a technician is scheduled within days if not the next day. As a business with a reputation to protect in the age of Yelp and Google, we are all expected to service our customers properly and on-time. As such, we really only have one shot to do things right and we take that very seriously.

Parts such as Solar Panels, Microinverters, and Racking. We also cover our roof penetrations for 25 years. All warranty work also includes a 25-year workmanship warranty which includes parts and labor at no cost to you.

We are liable for all leaks stemming from our roof penetrations. If you experience a leak from work we performed, we will make all necessary corrections at no cost to you.

The only areas we do not cover are those that are not related to the solar energy system. For example, we do not cover any portion of the roof we did not penetrate or affect due to the install.

For our customers, we will do a one-time solar panel removal and re-install for $1,500 at any point during the lifetime of the system.

That depends on a number of conditions like paper quality and condition of the roof tile, but the general rule is we do not install on roofs that are assessed to have less than 10 years of life remaining.

We do not offer a guarantee that says your system will produce a specific number of kWh/year. Instead, we follow the panel manufacturer's guidelines and warrant that your system will not fall short of the estimated production by more than 2% in year one, no more than .33% in any given year after the first year, and no more than 10% over the 25 year lifetime of the system.

Yes. As owners of the system, you get to benefit from any excess energy you produce while your loan payment (if any) remains the same.

A lien is not placed on your home, but there is an equipment lien placed on the system itself.

There is no insurance policy that comes with your system but most of our customers do add it to their homeowners insurance.

This is really for the finance company to answer but generally speaking, loans are not transferable to the new owner. But you can pay off the loan early without penalty.

Yes.

We recommend LG panels although we work with all the top-tier manufacturers from Panasonic to Solaria. We choose LG because of their track record, high efficiency, and the fact that they are found everywhere. Furthermore, a billion dollar company will have more resources and infrastructure in place for warranty replacements than a smaller company will. If a panel needed to be replaced, we do not want to have to jump through a bunch of hoops and wait for things to be shipped from out-of-state.

We recommend the Enphase IQ7+ due to it's great warranty, track record, and the ease of install and replacement. Each customer has a 25 year relationship with us and making sure warranty service is fast and painless involves sourcing the right technology and manufacturers for the job.

There will be one on each panel and a central combiner box mounted on the wall near your main electrical panel. The combiner box is about 15" x 15" x 8".

Yes. Solar batteries can be added at any point in the future and all our installs are wired in a way that makes adding a battery easier later on. We believe most solar owners in California will have a battery as solar battery prices continue to drop.

Unless you frequently experience blackouts in your area or you have a medical need for constant power, we would recommend waiting a bit for solar battery prices to drop and for new offerings to enter the market in the next 1-2 years.

Credits will not matter during a blackout and the credit you do receive is not dollar for dollar. The best way to make the most of your solar energy is to consume as much of it yourself as possible. Batteries give you the chance to use the energy you produce in the day at nighttime when your panels are not producing and saves you from having to draw that power from SCE during the more expensive peak periods.

All solar energy systems without batteries will shut down during a power outage. This is a safety feature designed to prevent your system from sending live current to the grid where electrical workers may be performing repairs. Only certain solar battery systems with islanding capability will allow your solar to continue operation during an outage.