Knowing the right questions to ask is crucial in any situation. Have you ever walked away from a scenario to only then realize what you should’ve said?
How do you know what to ask when you don’t know much about solar? You don’t know what you don’t know and many companies won’t offer up the answers to tough questions that aren’t asked. Luckily for you, Solcium Solar is here to help. We’re dedicated to being a trusted resource in our industry, so we’ve gathered the top five questions to ask when exploring solar for your property and a brief description to why these answers will empower you as a consumer.
What sections of the solar business are in-house and what portions are subcontracted?
Unbeknownst to most consumers, solar companies are rarely end-to-end providers. This is where solar customers fall through the cracks and the industry gets a bad reputation. For most, solar companies are brokered out to subcontractors: a sales organization and an installer.
Once the subcontractors conduct their portion of the project, customers are often left without any accountability and ownership, caught in the crosshairs of two organizations pointing fingers at each other. Customers often get ghosted in the end. Don’t let this happen to you. Look for (and validate) a solar provider has their sales force and installation teams in-house for a true partnership. At Solcium Solar, we take ownership over quality service and installations through our employed in-house team of solar experts.
What is their process for solar permitting and interconnection?
Make sure you feel fully educated on their permitting process and interconnection timelines.
Any company that cares for their consumers will have this information at their fingertips. Most consumers are caught off guard by how long it takes from completing installation to gaining permission to operate. Even worse, some consumers are blindsided when they choose a company that doesn’t handle that part of the project for them – adding to frustration and leaving customers with an installation that never operates.
Having a good reputation with the municipalities means getting your system on quickly. Solcium Solar’s top-notch team of permit managers and customer experience representatives handle everything for our customers – including wooing HOAs, securing Historic Preservation Appropriateness Certificates and attending Board meetings on our customer’s behalf. A rarity in the industry, customers are assigned their own dedicated group of in-house contacts that are committed to keeping our customers up to date while they handle the hard stuff.
What type of insurances and solar warranties are offered – and what do they cover?
Your system will be running for a long time, so why settle for guarantees that fall short over the span of its lifetime? Dig deep into a solar company’s insurances and warranties to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your partnership. Some things to explore are what the manufacturer and company’s warranties cover. Make sure it isn’t anything less than 25 years and that it covers the minimum of product and roof penetrations. Do they offer insurance on their installations? If the company folds – who will back their guarantees up? Having the answers to these questions will help you determine the best partner for your solar journey.
Solcium Solar offers the industry’s leading warranty with 30-year coverage on roof penetrations, product quality, and power production guarantee backed by a secondary warranty through SolarInsure, giving our customers peace of mind that their warranties and our promises will be upheld for decades to come.
What solar accolades or partnerships has the company secured?
Find the best solar companies by looking into the awards and industry partnerships that the company has forged. Those companies who are truly invested in offering top-notch solar installations will have secured partnerships with world-renowned companies that offer third-party verification to both your project and the company’s legitimacy. Examples of these partnerships could include stringent certification processes for the organization, such as Telsa Certified Installers or being EnergySage verified. If the company lacks credible partnerships, ask yourself if this is the right partner for you?
At Solcium Solar, we take our reputation within the industry as serious as our relationships with our customers – that is why Solcium was named Top Solar Contractor by Solar Power World (FL/US), Best Large Business in Seminole County, Top Companies to Watch by GrowFL and continues to come out ahead during the finance and supply chain crisis. We believe bright partnerships come from honest relationships.
We have taken on the additional responsibility of seeking industry-leading partnerships that regularly evaluate our performance, in order to maintain their golden standards. Additionally, every Solcium Solar customer will receive a Pearl Home Appraisal Certificate as our way of adding additional value to your home. This certificate is a nationally recognized dollar amount built into the real estate value of your home and the partnership is only offered to the top performers in the region. Solcium Solar is one of only six contractors that meet the Pearl Certification Partnership standards in the State of Florida.
How does the company verify your roof’s quality / What if I need a new roof?
The lifespan of solar panels is almost 3 decades, so you should have your roof properly inspected by an expert beforehand. Investigate whether or not the company is offering to have a knowledgeable roofer or engineer inspect your roof’s quality before putting panels on it. Does the company offer any post-installation servicing to your project if roof work needs to be done? Consider all of these questions as it relates to the entire lifespan of your install.
Solcium Solar not only sends a highly qualified engineer out to inspect your roof, they are trained in both roofing and photovoltaic needs, ensuring that the both assets are taken care of. Adding additional value to our customers, Solcium Roofing Division is available to quote out a new roof for those wishing to roll that into their project. Not needing a new roof right now but worried about the future? We got you! Solcium offers one free removal and reinstall during the installation’s lifetime.
Not all solar companies are created equal. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions and hold your solar partner accountable for making the decision to choose them as easy as absorbing light from the sun. Shady companies will hide behind a cloud of mystery – knowing the right questions to ask will empower you to make good decisions when choosing your trusted solar partner.
To learn more about what makes Solcium lightyears ahead of the competition, reach out to one of our solar experts today!
