Solar Warranty

A solar system is a long-term investment, and it should come with long-term peace of mind. Every Trifecta Solar installation is backed by our own 10-year workmanship and labor warranty, on top of the manufacturer warranties that come with your panels and inverters. For qualifying systems, you can extend equipment and roof penetration coverage to 30 years through Solar Insure.

Trifecta Solar 10-Year Workmanship & Labor Warranty

Every system we install includes two 10-year protections from Trifecta Solar:

• 10-Year Workmanship Warranty. This covers errors or defects that arise directly from our installation of your system.
• 10-Year Labor Warranty. If a part fails during the first 10 years and the manufacturer covers it under warranty, we cover the labor to replace it. You don’t pay service costs for manufacturer-warranted failures in those first 10 years.

When something needs attention, you call us. We handle the diagnosis, the repair, and the coordination with the manufacturer.

Manufacturer Warranties on Panels and Inverters

Your panels, inverters, and other equipment come with their own manufacturer warranties. We list them in your proposal, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you sign. Claims on equipment go through the manufacturer, and we help you with that process.

Product warranty vs. performance warranty

Solar panels usually carry two separate manufacturer warranties:

• Product warranty (materials and workmanship). This covers defects in the panel itself. On the panels we currently offer, product warranties run from 12 to 30 years, and many are 15 years or longer.
• Performance (power output) warranty. Every panel slowly loses a little output over time. This warranty guarantees how much power the panel will still produce. On our current panels it runs 25 or 30 years. Most guarantee about 87% of rated output at year 30, with no more than about 1% to 2% loss in the first year.

Exact terms vary by brand and model, so check the spec sheet and warranty listed in your proposal.

Solar panels rarely fail

The good news is that panels are among the most reliable parts of a solar system. In a widely cited review by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), panels installed after 2000 had a median failure rate of about 5 out of every 10,000 per year, or 0.05% (Jordan et al., 2017, opens in new tab). A separate NREL look at nearly 50,000 U.S. systems found that many types of problems were less common after the first year. If something isn’t right, it usually shows up early, while your Trifecta workmanship and labor warranty is in force.

Extended inverter warranties

Many inverters, including SolarEdge, can be ordered with an extended manufacturer warranty of 20 or 25 years. If you’d like the extra coverage, ask us to include it in your quote.

B-grade panels: a budget-friendly option

Sometimes we can offer B-grade panels. These are fully functional panels sold at a discount, often because of minor cosmetic marks or because they’re overstock. Many B-grade panels still carry a manufacturer warranty, but some have reduced coverage or none. When we offer them, we tell you exactly what warranty applies, and the savings are reflected in your quote. Just ask if you’d like to compare options.

Extend Your Coverage to 30 Years with Solar Insure

For qualifying systems, including many homes and smaller businesses, we offer a 30-year monitoring and limited warranty plan through Solar Insure, an independent warranty provider. Ask us whether your system qualifies. When it’s included in your contract, it covers:

• Equipment defects in your panels, inverters, optimizers, and racking for 30 years from installation, including parts and labor.
• Roof penetrations made for your system. Solar Insure reseals and reflashes leaks within 3 inches of the solar mounting hardware for 30 years.
• Monitoring of your system’s performance.

The plan stays with your home if you sell it, and it’s designed to protect you even if a manufacturer goes out of business. If your system includes a home battery, a separate 30-year battery warranty may also be available.

You keep our 10-year workmanship warranty, too. Solar Insure doesn’t cover balance-of-system and electrical work, such as wiring, disconnects, and electrical panel connections. That work stays covered by Trifecta Solar’s 10-year workmanship warranty.

A few things to know: your system needs a working internet connection for monitoring for the full term, and the components must be on Solar Insure’s approved list. Solar Insure’s coverage is provided by Solar Insure, not Trifecta Solar, but you can still call us first and we’ll coordinate your request.

What Warranties Don’t Cover

Does a solar warranty cover hail, storms, or squirrels? Generally, no. Warranties cover defects in equipment and installation, not damage from outside causes. Our warranty and Solar Insure’s both exclude:

• Fire, storms, hail, lightning, snow, ice, floods, and other natural disasters
• Squirrels, rodents, and other wildlife
• Negligence, misuse, lack of maintenance, or unauthorized modifications or repairs

Storm and similar damage may be covered by your property insurance, so be sure to tell your insurer when your system is installed. If your system is near trees, we recommend a critter guard. It’s a deterrent rather than a guarantee, but it helps keep squirrels out from under your panels. Solar Insure also doesn’t cover interior damage from leaks or removing and reinstalling panels for a new roof.

This page is a summary. See your contract and the warranty documents provided with it for full terms.

Already Have Solar from Another Installer?

If your installer has gone out of business or your system is out of warranty, we can still help. Our solar service and repair team works on systems no matter who installed them.

Questions About Your Warranty?

We’re happy to walk you through the warranty options for your project. Browse our solar FAQs or contact Trifecta Solar to talk with our team.