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Nov 18 2022
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Solar Panel Warranty Guide: What You Need to Know

By Best Solar Panels for Homes in 2026, Solar Panels for Home No Comments

Going solar is a long-term investment energy savings and a clean energy future. And there’s nothing to protect that investment like a long and robust solar panel warranty.

In order to get the most out of your investment, it’s important to know how solar panel warranties work and what types of warranties are available.

In this article, we’ll cover:

Let’s dive right in by identifying the two main types of solar panel warranties.

Types of solar panel warranties

There are two basic types of warranties that cover solar panels. 

  • A product warranty protects you from defects in a solar panel stemming from material quality or manufacturing errors. This is also referred to as an equipment or materials warranty
  • A performance warranty guarantees that a panel will maintain a certain percentage of its original power output over a period of time. This is also known as a power output warranty.

It’s important to note that warranties vary by manufacturer, location, and panel type. We’ll provide some general information about product and performance warranties below, but it’s best to refer to the manufacturer for specifics.

Solar panel product warranty

Solar panel product warranties protect you from defects stemming from material quality or manufacturing errors. 

Defects covered by a product warranty are typically immediately apparent, and your installer will likely catch them before the panel is even installed. However, it may also include less visible issues like premature wear, faulty wiring, and corrosion.

The length of a product warranty varies based on the manufacturer and model. Traditionally, these warranties typically last 10-15 years, although it is becoming more common for premium panels to have 20 and 25 year product warranties.

If a panel fails within the warranty period, the manufacturer will typically replace or refund the panel. Some product warranties also cover the labor and shipping costs and others don’t.

Solar panel failures are very rare. In fact, a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that just 5 in 10,000 modern solar panels fail – a rate of 0.05%. However, solar panels are an investment worth protecting with a solid product warranty.

Solar panel performance warranty

While a product warranty protects you from defective equipment, a performance warranty ensures that solar panels maintain a certain level of output throughout their lifetime, typically 25 years.

Like anything exposed to the elements, solar panels naturally degrade over time. As they degrade, their ability to generate electricity diminishes.

A performance warranty guarantees a maximum level of degradation – typically between .25% and .75% – per year so that in 25 years the panel will still have 80-90% of the power output it did in its first year.

25-year performance warranty example

solar panel performance warranty graph

Performance warranties are important for sizing solar systems to maintain 100% offset for 25 years.

It’s important to note that the performance warranty guarantees the panel’s ability to produce a certain amount of electricity – not that the panel will produce that amount. However, if you notice a decline in performance in a properly installed panel with adequate sunlight, your performance warranty should apply.

Solar panel warranties by manufacturer

As we mentioned above, product and performance warranties vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and model to model. 

Here’s a quick glance at the warranties for some of the most popular solar panels sold through the solar.com network:

solar panel warranty chart

Other solar warranties

In addition to product and performance warranties from solar panel manufacturers, you should also be aware of installer warranties and warranties through marketplaces like solar.com.

Installer warranties

There are two types of installer warranties to be aware of, although not all installers offer both.

  1. Installer workmanship warranty
  2. Performance guarantee

An installer workmanship warranty covers damages and defects caused during the installation process. This ensures that your solar system is installed correctly and you won’t foot the bill for any damages done by the installers.

Installer workmanship warranty periods can range from 10-25 years.

An installer performance guarantee ensures that the system produces a certain amount of electricity over the warranty period. So if your system was designed to produce 8,000 kWh per year and it only produces 7,500 kWh, the installer will fix the system and/or reimburse you for the lost production.

Installer performance guarantees can last between 5-10 years and the specifics vary by company.

Marketplace warranty

Finally, if you go solar through a marketplace like solar.com, you may also be covered by another layer of warranties.

For example, solar.com offers a TriGuard Guarantee. This marketplace warranty includes:

  • A production guarantee for 90% of the kilowatt hours agreed upon in your contract
  • A 10 year installer workmanship warranty
  • A 10-year manufacturers product warranty plus a 25 year manufacturers minimum power production warranty

There are few, if any, investments that offer this type of layered long-term protection.

Related Reading: How To Choose Solar Panels for Your Home

How to monitor your solar panels

A solar panel warranty is important to have, but it won’t do much good unless you can monitor your system and identify issues.

You may be able to identify larger issues, such as cracking, with the naked eye. But performance issues are most easily identified through a digital system monitoring app or web portal.

Most modern solar inverters come equipt with monitoring systems for tracking your panels’ performance. Here’s a look at the interface for Enphase Enlighten – a popular monitoring system.

solar panel warranty monitoring system

Image source

As you can see, the bottom left panel on the South First Story array is performing well below its neighboring panels. This could be due to shading or dust build-up – or it could be a sign of a defect or installation error. 

Regardless, decreased production translates to a longer payback period and lower return on investment, and a real-time digital monitoring system can help you identify and resolve issues quickly.

How to make a solar panel warranty claim

If you notice a visible defect or performance issue with one of your solar panels, your first move is to call your installer. Do NOT handle the panel or try to fix the issue yourself, as this can void your warranty.

Your installer will perform an onsite and/or remote inspection of the panel to diagnose of the issue. If it stems from the manufacturer, they will help you make a claim and prepare the necessary documents and photographs.

This is why it is so important to work with established and trusted installation companies. If you have an issue with your system and the installer is unresponsive or out of business, it is much more difficult to make warranty claims.

That’s why we require installers to have a minimum three years of experience (along with many other qualifications) to join the solar.com network. 

The bottom line

As a long-term investment in energy savings and the ecosystem, it is crucial to protect your solar panels with robust manufacturer and installer warranties.

Manufacturers typically offer two types of solar panel warranties: Product and performance. Together, these protect you from panel defects and ensure your panels are able to perform at a certain level throughout their life. 

Installer warranties protect you from damages and errors during the installation process.

It’s important to have a real-time digital monitoring system to catch performance issues in your solar panels. If an issue does arise, contact your installer to identify the cause and , if necessary, prepare a warranty claim.

Solar panel warranty FAQs

Do solar panels void roof warranty?

No, a quality solar installation should not void your roof warranty. In fact, some companies provide both roofing and solar installation services and provide warranties for both.

However, it is very important to go through an experienced, reputable solar company that uses quality equipment and installation techniques. Inexperienced and careless installers can do damage that will void your roof warranty – and may not be around to clean up their mess.

Are solar panel warranties transferable?

In most cases, solar panel warranties are transferable to the new owner in a home sale. However, some warranties are restricted to the original owner, so it is crucial to clarify this point with the manufacturer and installer offering the warranty. 

As soon as you know you are selling your home, contact your solar installer and the solar panel manufacturer to make them aware and start the process of transferring your warranty.

Do home warranties cover solar panels?

If your solar panels are attached to your roof, they may be included in the dwelling coverage your homeowners insurance policy. If the panels are ground-mounted or intsalled on a detached structure (like a shed or garage), they may be included in “other structures” coverage.  

Each policy is different, so it is critical to check with your homeowners insurance provider to see if your panels can be insured. Your homeowners insurance is a great way to protect your panels for natural disasters and “Acts of God” that aren’t covered by manufacturer and installer warranties.

If your homeowners insurance doesn’t cover your solar panels, it may be worth looking into specific solar panel insurance to protect your investment.

 

Nov 16 2022
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What are solar panels made of?

What Are Solar Panels Made Of?

By How Does Solar Power Work on a House? Your Questions Answered, Solar Panels for Home, Solar Panel Efficiency - Pick the Most Efficient Solar Panels No Comments

You might know what solar panels can do – convert sunlight into energy, save money, create energy independence, increase your home’s resale value – but how do they do it? What are solar panels made of?

What are solar panels made of?

Most solar panels are made of a collection of silicon solar cells in a metal frame that are protected by a glass sheet. They also include wires and metal ribbons called busbars to transport the electrical current out of the panel and into your home.

Let’s take a look at each component that makes up a solar panel.

Silicon in solar panels

Around 90-95% of solar panels are made of silicon semiconductor solar cells, often called photovoltaic (PV) cells.

In each cell, silicon is used to make negative (n-type) and positive (p-type) semiconductors, which are layered on top of each other. Electrons pass between the two layers and, when struck by photons from the sunlight, are knocked free to create an electrical current.

Solar manufacturers add boron, gallium, and phosphorus to silicon to give the solar cells different charges.

Why use silicon to make solar cells?

Silicon has been used to make solar cells since the 1940’s, when solar cells were first being researched in Bell Labs, and is still being used today. There are several reasons for this:

  1. After oxygen, silicon is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Its sheer abundance helps to keep the cost of panels low
  2. Silicon has a high conversion efficiency that allows more sunlight to become electricity
  3. Silicon is durable, which allows solar panels to be warrantied for 25+ years
  4. Silicon is non-toxic and safe to work with

Monocrystalline vs polycrystalline solar cells

There are two forms of crystalline silicon panels: monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline solar cells consist of wafers cut from one large, pure crystal, and tend to have higher levels of effiency. Polycrystalline solar cells are made by melting multiple crystals together in a vat and are less efficient and less expensive than monocrystalline panels. You can find out more about mono- and polycrystalline panels on our blog post here.

Aluminum in solar panels

Aluminum is used for two components of solar panels: Busbar wiring and metal framing.

Busbar ribbon fills the space between solar cells and allows electricity to flow throughout the panel. The more busbar ribbon, the greater the efficiency of the panels.

Aluminum is also used make the metal frames that surround solar panels. These frames protect the panel from environmental elements and are used to mount the panels.

Glass in solar panels

The clear top of a solar panel is typically a thin layer of glass, about 6-7 millimeters thick. The glass casing not only protects the solar cells from falling objects, it regulates heat and humidity within the panel.

Glass accounts for roughly 97% of the weight of a solar panel — making it by far the biggest component of a solar panel, by mass. It’s perfectly suited for solar panels because it is cheap, durable, and easy to recycle.

Other materials in solar panels

While silicon, glass, and aluminum make up the primary components of a solar panel, there are other materials used as well. These include:

  • A durable backsheet made from plastic
  • Standard 12V wire
  • Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) glue

Related Reading: How To Choose Solar Panels for Your Home

Are solar panels recyclable?

The big question is what happens to those materials at the end of a solar panel’s life?

Solar panel recycling is absolutely a valid concern — as is the end-of-life scenarios for all energy infrastructure including wind, nuclear, and fossil fuels. But there are a few reasons to be hopeful that your solar panels won’t become waste after they are retired.

First, a 2022 study published in PLOS ONE found that solar panels are lasting much longer and the “wave” of solar panel waste will be much smaller and arrive about 10 years later than previously expected. That gives the solar recycling industry 10 additional years to improve the technology and infrastructure.

Second, solar recycling technology is already advancing at breakneck speed. Italian startup Tialpi already has a patented process for recycling 85% of a solar panels weight and has its sights set on achieving 100%. The process apparantely only requires 1 kW of electricity per panel — roughly 2.5 hours worth of production for a 400W panel.

And Tialpi is far from alone. The solar panel recycling market is expected to grow by over $300 million from 2022-2026 as more companies enter this space.

The bottom line

Solar panels are made from a combination of silicon, aluminium, glass, and various other materials. The abundance and durability of silicon and glass contribute to the cost of solar panels decreasing over the years.

Like all energy infrastructure, the end-life of solar panels should be considered to avoid creating waste. Solar panel recycling technology is in its early stages, but the durability of panels and rapidly expanding recycling market is promising.