Tips on hiring a Solar Panel Installer

With everyone thinking about the benefits of using alternative power and going green, solar powered technology is fast approaching more common usage in mainstream applications. Solar Panels for instance provide energy on a little used portion of your house: the roof.  So just like any other contractor you may hire to work on your house, a solar roof installer should also be held to the highest standards when being considered to install slar panels to your home.  Here are some tips to assist you in hiring the right solar panel installer for your home:


Homeowner's Insurance: Before you begin any new construction project such as this, make sure your new PV roof will be covered just like any conventional roofing system would be by checking with your insurance agent. The agent will also alert you to any laws that may govern PV roof systems and any incentives and tax rebates for using solar power.

Professional licenses and certifications: As with any contractor, most have to be licensed by the state they do business in.  Also like many contractors, there is usually a licensing board of some kind to verify the  contractor's credentials. One of the best certificates to have in this business,(and its almost unheard of for any successful company to not have one) is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
This  organization provides a standardized certification and they even have a search page so you can look up a certified contractor in your city or state.

Referrals: Next to certifications, referrals are by far one of the best ways to find out if a contractor is right for you. As the saying goes, "Word of mouth is the best advertising", so ask your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, etc. for information about solar panel installation contractors they may have used. Be sure and ask them if they would consider using them again, if the procedure went smoothly, and if the price was within reason for the type of work they had done.