The workmanship warranty for a new solar panel system is one of the most important warranties to check before you sign on the dotted line. That’s because it covers you if there’s a problem caused by the workmanship of the installers.
Because solar installers are up on your roof, drilling holes, and wiring for high voltage direct current, the problems that can arise from a faulty installation can be huge. And expensive to fix!
The last thing you want is to be landed with a bill for repairing water damage in your living room caused by an installer cracking a tile on your roof (this can happen to even the most careful installers!).
That’s why choosing a reputable Clean Energy Council Solar Retailer with an industry-beating workmanship warranty is the best way to protect yourself from the risk of damage to your property caused by the workmanship of the installers.
Why 5 years isn’t long enough
According to the Clean Energy Council Code of Conduct, the workmanship warranty for a solar panel system should be for a full five years from date of installation.
But, in our opinion that’s not long enough.
Faults caused by the installers’ workmanship sometimes only become apparent further down the track. For example, ceiling damage caused by the way the racking system was mounted on the roof may only come to light 10 years on – or even later.
That’s why at Specialized Solar & Electrical we provide all our solar customers with an industry-beating 15-year workmanship warranty for complete peace of mind.
Who provides the solar workmanship warranty?
The workmanship warranty is provided by your Solar Retailer, assuming you purchase your solar panel system from a Clean Energy Council accredited Solar Retailer such as Specialized Solar & Electrical.
So, even if your Solar Retailer sub-contracts the installation to a third-party solar installer, that’s not your concern – the workmanship warranty for your solar panel system is still the responsibility of your Solar Retailer.
And if you need to claim on this warranty, you get in touch with your Solar Retailer who is required to rectify the problem caused by the installation if it is within the warranty period.
What’s included in the workmanship warranty?
A good workmanship warranty should cover you for:
- any defects in the system caused by workmanship during installation
- rectification of any damage to your property or leaks caused by the system or the installers.
Where the workmanship warranty applies, your Solar Retailer should either:
- re-do or repair the installation; or
- replace any faulty part with a comparable new or refurbished part so that the installation is no longer defective.
This should be done at the cost of the Solar Retailer.
What’s excluded in the workmanship warranty?
Most workmanship warranties will exclude:
- Any damage caused to the system by extreme weather events such as flood, fire etc. We recommend adding your solar power system to your home insurance policy so you’re covered for these events.
- Faults or damage caused by tampering, modifications, or repairs by a party other than your Solar Retailer.
- Pest damage. Watch out for those possums on your roof!
- Non-compliance with operating instructions. That’s why we ensure our installers give you a proper rundown on how the system works on day of installation.
- Damage or faults caused by the electricity grid. If this is a concern, talk to us about inverters that provide extra protection from voltage variance from the grid.
- Damage caused by vandalism.
A word of warning
Watch out for workmanship warranties that have hidden catches. For example, some Solar Retailers may charge you a call-out fee or refuse to cover the full cost of replacing parts.
With a good workmanship warranty, you won’t end up with an invoice for shipping or labour.
Does the workmanship warranty cover solar panel performance?
The workmanship warranty does not cover the performance of the solar panels or the inverter. This should be covered by product warranties from each manufacturer.
However, in the case of Specialized Solar & Electrical, we’re so confident in the quality of the solar systems we install that we provide a system performance guarantee for 15 years. This is significantly higher than industry standards – in fact you’ll be hard-pressed to find another Solar Retailer with the same offer.
The big benefit of our performance guarantee is that you get guaranteed solar power generation from your system for 15 years from date of installation. And, if there’s a shortfall in generation, we will fix the problem at our cost and reimburse you for any extra charges incurred on your electricity bill.
Summing up: Why Specialized Solar’s Workmanship Warranty is the Best
There are five reasons why our workmanship warranty on solar panel systems is the best on the market:
1. 15 year workmanship warranty
That’s 10 years more than the industry standard.
2. Total quality control
We control every aspect of every solar installation in-house, leaving nothing to chance. So, no matter whether we use our own in-house installers or a third-party, you won’t notice any difference. Same high quality on every job, guaranteed!
3. We take full responsibility
We take responsibility for the quality of workmanship on every installation; just one number to call if there’s a problem.
4. Here for the long-term
With our roots going back to 2000, Specialized Solar & Electrical is proven to be a Solar Retailer that’s in the solar industry for the long haul. That means you can have confidence that we’ll be around to honour any workmanship warranty claims you may have down the track.
5. Big bonus: Our performance guarantee
We take solar guarantees to the ‘next level’ with our industry-leading performance guarantee that guarantees the solar generation output of your system for a full 15 years. What could be better than that!
Get in touch
Interested in hassle-free solar power? Want a system that’s backed by the best warranties in the business? Get in touch with a solar expert at Specialized Solar & Electrical.
