Checklist on warranty and performance before you buy a solar system?
There are a few clarifications you should seek on warranty and performance of the system you are buying. Remember it is a product which will last for a long time and should generate electricity cost savings from the day you get the solar power system installed.
- What performance guarantees do you get for the system as a whole? Is the dealer willing to give you in writing the expected annual kW/h of electricity your system is expected to generate?
- How will you know if your system is performing to its maximum potential on a day to day basis? What should you check?
- Does the designer/installer provide some kind of optional service agreement to come in later years to check on the system?
- If problems arise with your system, what services will the designer/installer provide and for how long?
- Will the designer/installer be readily available to troubleshoot and fix problems? If the system installers are not locally based, how likely will they be there to assist you should there be a problem?
- If something goes wrong, who is responsible for repair or replacement costs? Get the installation company to explain this point clearly and make notes.
- Who is responsible for maintaining the system? What maintenance will be required in your instance eg lots of insidious trees shedding leaves in autumn.
- What kind of training will the designer/installer provide at the time of system hand over?
- Will basic system safety issues be explained as part of the system hand over and via the owner handbook?