The solar industry grew by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Solar energy is more affordable and in greater demand to combat rising energy costs.

In 2021, the solar industry in the U.S. had more than 10,000 companies and 255,000 employees. If you want to get solar panels installed at your home, you have a wide range of solar contractors to choose from.

What do you need to know to choose residential solar contractors? What questions should you ask to get the best one for your installation? Don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn about your options for solar contractors.

Experience With Residential Solar Panel Installations

Since the solar industry is growing so fast, more installation contractors seem to appear out of nowhere. The first thing to learn about solar installers is the level of experience they have with residential installations.

There are also licensing and certification requirements in your state. Some states require a specific solar installation license, while other states only require a general contractor’s license.

Know what the requirements are in your area so you can know what to look for in residential installers.

Read Online Reviews

Reading online reviews can give you valuable insights as to what it’s like to work with a solar installation contractor. You have to keep online reviews in perspective. While they can provide insights, they can also be misleading.

One customer can post a horror story that’s not based on reality. That can impact your perception, even though there are dozens of other people with positive reviews of an installer. It’s best to look for trends in the reviews. You’ll learn about potential pitfalls should you decide to work with a particular company.

Ask the Right Questions

Knowing what questions to ask can make all the difference in your solar panel installation. The first thing you want to know is which manufacturers they work with. Make sure that they work with only high-quality and reputable manufacturers.

You’ll also need to know if there’s a warranty for the installation. Some contractors may only offer a manufacturer’s warranty on parts, and a limited warranty on labor. You can ask about details of the installation. Ask the installer what kind of flashing they’ll use on the roof. Understand what type of hardware gets used to attach solar panels to the roof.

Compare Solar Installation Costs

You’ll want to get a few estimates from solar panel installation companies. They’ll visit your home and inspect the orientation of the home and how much you can save on energy bills.

Ask them for written estimates of the job. Be sure to ask about financing options and what’s included and not included in the installation.

A Quick Guide to Choose Residential Solar Contractors

You have a lot of choices to pick a local solar installation company. This guide showed you how you can weed through the choices and pick a top-notch solar installation company. When you choose residential solar contractors, compare costs, ask questions, and do your research.

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