"People want to save money on their electric bills, and Arizona's got pretty high electric bills, especially in the summer."
That sentiment shared by Let ABC15 Know viewer Mark is one many Arizonans can probably relate to.
It's also one major reason Mark became interested in residential solar power. He researched companies and ultimately contracted with SunPower.
He says the installation went well and two years later, he was happy with the system.
"It's producing the energy it's supposed to," he said. That is until they developed a small leak and had to call out a roofer.
Luckily, the leak was able to be fixed quickly, but Mark says the roofer asked one specific question that got him thinking: "Why didn't you replace the roof before you put the solar panels on?"
Mark says his tile roof was fine, but the underlayment which provides the moisture barrier, was decades old and in need of replacement or he could find himself with more leaks. However, to make the replacement, every solar panel would need to be taken off and then reinstalled after the roof work.
"The red flag came up," Mark said.
Mark worried he had missed a step during the installation and decided to look through his documents again. He says the company completed a pre-inspection, but he never saw that report so he requested it.
"On the front page, in a glaring red box, it says the roof is aged out and needs to be replaced," Mark said in frustration.
Mark reached out to SunPower and was quoted thousands to have the panels removed and then reinstalled while the roof was fixed. He felt that was unfair, saying if he'd seen the pre-inspection report, he would have made a different decision initially, opting to repair the roof before installing solar.
The Let ABC15 Know team reached out to SunPower, however, days later the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
SunPower released the following statement to ABC15:
"On September 30, 2024, SunPower finalized the sale of certain of its assets to Complete Solaria, Inc., and on October 1, 2024, finalized the sale of its SunStrong Capital assets to SunStrong Capital, LLC. For further information, Complete Solaria intends to provide relevant updates on monitoring and future customer service options at SunPower.com [us.sunpower.com]. Customer leases are now supported by SunStrong Management and customers can receive support through their payment portal or by calling 833-514-1858.
For matters related to SunPower’s Chapter 11 process, relevant updates will be posted on the docket located at https://dm.epiq11.com/SunPower [dm.epiq11.com]. Epiq can also be reached by calling toll-free at (888) 410-9433 or +1 (971) 298-7638 for calls originating outside of the U.S., or email at SunPowerinfo@epiqglobal.com."
According to the company's website, customers can still be serviced through local vendors.
Unfortunately, for consumers like Mark, that means they'll have to establish a relationship with other companies, making it difficult to address previous issues.
If you are considering solar, opt for a company that performs all aspects in-house - that means sales, installation, and financing.
Get multiple bids before choosing a company.
Make sure those bids have specifics. Pricing should be included, not just for solar panels, but for inverters, electrical work, and any other installation details. Keller says consumers should also receive information about warranties - which ones you will and won't qualify for - as well as an energy savings estimation.
Check with your electric company. Yes, you may be moving to solar, but make sure you ask about any recurring fees for equipment usage or maintenance that you might encounter.
If a solar pitch is promising specific savings or credits, talk to an accountant or financial advisor before signing on the dotted line.
Ask for a primary point of contact and have their information listed in the bid.
Get an independent roof inspection.
You can check company reviews online with the Better Business Bureau and check a company's contracting license with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
If you have questions about going solar, Solar United Neighbors, a non-profit, has a free help desk you can reach online or by phone.
