Are you thinking of investing in solar power systems? If so, then you must pay attention to associated solar warranties. These warranties assure that the solar manufacturer and/or installer will protect your investment throughout the lifetime to ensure estimated power production.
In this post, you will walk through different solar warranty categories, their benefits, factors that void warranty, and more facts. This will help you in making an informed decision for your investment and getting better ROI.
What is a Solar Panel Warranty?
Solar manufacturer or installer offers a solar panel warranty as a guarantee to customers, assuring protection for reliability, energy output, etc. Warranties offer financial security by protecting solar panels from performance problems, defects, and other issues. This practice makes sure that you can be liable for repairing and replacement of solar system under diverse conditions.
Every purchase of solar components and installation consists of some type of warranty. Understanding different solar warranties will help with effective decision-making when comparing various solar systems and manufacturers before purchase.
What are the Benefits of Solar Panel Warranties?
Unlike other gadgets or devices, solar power system warranties provide long-term financial security for safe solar investment. It will provide immense peace of mind by reducing stress about expensive repairs and replacement of solar equipment. You will have an assurance that you can get the required support just by sending an email or making a call to request repairs.
Decreasing the cost of long-term repair can benefit you with long-term cost-effectiveness. All of these benefits are making more and more customers purchase solar-equipped homes and a warranty to cover any unexpected concerns. In addition, some home insurance companies are ready to adjust their insurance policies to add solar panel coverage.
Different Categories of Solar Warranty
Different solar warranty categories are one of the things that make people adopt solar energy in India. The following are the main solar warranties with their detailed coverage –
Product/Equipment Warranty
Each solar panel component comes with a different manufacturer warranty. Let’s discover them before you invest in them.
Solar panel warranty
This type of warranty covers any defects in the solar panel and its durability issues. Typically, solar panels last for at least 25 years. However, rarely do they fail to operate optimally due to wiring issues or corrosion. In such situations, the solar panel warranty comes in handy for replacing the product without paying additional charges. You can find solar panels with 10-15 years of warranty. However, premium panels always have a 25-year guarantee.
Battery warranty
Another solar product that comes with warranty coverage is solar batteries. It is believed that solar batteries will have different warranties. Presently, this backup system has 5-10 years of warranty.
Inverter warranty
According to solar industry experts, this is the most important warranty that you must pay attention to. The reason is that it is a highly crucial component of a solar system that is prone to fail due to several reasons. The inverter converts produced solar power from DC to AC to be used as standard electricity in homes. Manufacturers offer 5-10 years of warranty. However, premium inverters come with a more extended warranty.
Service Warranty
Do you know that you can be liable for problems happening due to installation issues? Yes, this can be possible by taking advantage of a service warranty. The best rooftop solar system installers in Delhi NCR have all the essential certifications and offer a service warranty for installation. This type of warranty helps cover all damages or maintenance problems required like faulty connections and others.
Performance Warranty
This warranty is essential to get the assurance that solar panels will work at the expected efficiency throughout their lifespan. The solar power production capacity reduces over time due to wear and tear. The original solar power production efficiency reduces by 10-30% throughout its lifespan. Typically, it reduces at less than 0.5-1% yearly.
Solar manufacturers offer performance warranties assuring that solar panels will keep a specific percentage throughout their lifespan. You can get repair or replacement if solar modules fall below the indicated mark.
To discover inferior products, check out if the manufacturer doesn’t provide an extended production warranty. This way, you can determine the service and product quality of the manufacturer. Moreover, it shows the support structure available when dealing with any problem.
Are Solar Panel Warranties Transferable?
If you purchase a solar panel, its warranty is transferable to the buyer in case you sell your solar-equipped home. However, you need to inform your solar warranty provider about your home selling to understand what is required.
On the other hand, if you purchased a solar panel on the lease, the warranty will be transferred to the buyer when they get your lease. In case you take over the remainder of your lease before selling the home, it can complicate the situation. So, no matter what the case, it is recommended to contact your solar warranty provider to know what will happen in a specific condition.
What does a Solar Warranty Not Include?
When purchasing solar panels, it is equally important to consider the exclusion of solar warranty. Sometimes the most crucial aspects are not covered by solar warranties. For example, the labor cost to inspect and replace products, a guarantee of a certain amount of solar power production, etc.
Some providers don’t offer a warranty for damage that happens due to fire, power failure, lightning strikes, or other natural acts. Additionally, check for the coverage of damage caused by events that are not in the manufacturer’s control. It includes vandalism, accidental breakage, acts of war, etc.
What can Void Solar Panel Warranties?
Some solar users clean and maintain their solar panels by themselves to prevent solar panel damage and save repair costs. In some cases, this can become a cause of voiding a solar panel warranty. Secondly, installation by yourself or an unregistered installer and repairing without the official authorization of a company can breach warranty T&Cs.
Also, you will not be liable for warranty coverage if your solar panels are subject to severe chemical exposure. Finally, installation, repair, maintenance, or performing another activity by yourself or a company other than the original installer can nullify solar warranty.
Conclusion
So, this is what you must know before finalising your solar panel purchase. The types of warranties and their validity period varies based on the brand and pricing. Once you get free estimates from your solar installer, review what goes into a solar panel warranty. Take time and discover different options available for your needs. Megamax Solar helps you to go solar smoothly, getting all extensive warranties for solar components, services, and performance.