Webinar: Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Solar Installer

Wondering what questions to ask your solar installer before going solar? While choosing solar energy is a no-brainer—whether it’s to save on your utility bills, own your energy, or contribute to a healthier environment—it can be a challenge to select the right solar company.

There’s a lot of buzz out there surrounding solar companies, and for good reason. Not every solar installer acts equally or ethically. You’ll want to do your homework to find a trusted company who can manage every aspect of your solar project from start to finish, plus stick around to care for your system long-term.

In this webinar recording, we cover the top 5 questions you can ask your solar installer to help choose the right one for you.

BONUS: Download our handy checklist below to help aid your research.

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Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Solar Installer

Download this handy resource as you research the right solar installer for your project. Not only do we cover the questions, but we also summarize why they’re important. Includes a worksheet where you can track your notes.

THE LIST

Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Solar Installer

What Are the Company Values?

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The solar industry has its fair share of ill-intentioned and profit-focused players. You want a company aligned with your values and working in partnership to achieve your goals.

OUR VALUES:

At StraightUp Solar, the core of our business is driven by our CLEARE Values: Care for Community, Lead the Energy Transition, Educate Everyone, Advocate with Purpose, Respect People & Planet, and Embody Excellence. We prioritize people and planet as a Certified B Corporation, verified by a third party on our commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. We are members of the Amicus Solar Cooperative, a network of 80 high-quality, independent, values-driven, and clean-energy-committed solar companies across the nation sharing lessons learned, best practices, and cooperative buying power. As a member, we agree to a code of conduct for our customer and supplier relations. We also signed code of ethics statements with the Illinois Solar Energy & Storage Association, Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association, and our local Better Business Bureaus.

Does Your Company Install My System?

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT?

Many national solar companies will sell you a solar system, then outsource the remainder of the work to other companies, leading to unpredictable or inconsistent quality and an unclear point of contact.

OUR PROCESS

StraightUp Solar is a turnkey solar energy company. Through our seamless, in-house process, our team handles everything from design to permitting to project management to installation. Our people live and work in the St. Louis, Bloomington, and Marion communities we serve, so we care about their well-being. We employ our own highly-qualified StraightUp Solar installation crews. The only exception is during our busiest times when it’s most important to get our customers installed quickly and efficiently. We may bring in a trusted subcontractor from our short list of vetted companies. StraightUp Solar will always remain your only point of contact, ensuring clear communication.

What is Your Company’s Experience?

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

New companies enter the solar industry all the time without the experience or local knowledge to understand the nuances of permitting, incentives, local utility regulations, technology, and product specifications.

OUR EXPERIENCE

StraightUp Solar was founded in 2006 by our president, Dane Glueck, MD. We’ve grown from our first installation on Dr. Glueck’s house to bring to light more than 2,800 residential and commercial projects for our Illinois and Missouri neighbors. These installations have ranged in size, location, and complexity. Over half our staff is NABCEP certified (a hallmark certification within the solar industry). Each month our installers pause for a full day of training, and many of our electricians are enrolled in the four-year Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) apprenticeship training. All our electricians report to a licensed electrician.

How Will I Pay For My System?

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT?

Many companies offer a “no money down” lease payment option, but what they don’t tell you is that they capture all the federal and state incentives from your system, rather than you–the homeowner–benefiting from these tax credits and cash incentives! While leasing your system may appear affordable, you pay more overall and incur a longer payback period. If the company goes out of business, your lease could be transferred to another institution, leaving you with some unpredictability in your payments and system maintenance.

OUR PAYMENT OPTIONS

To capture the full benefits of federal and state incentives, owning your solar PV system is the best decision. You will save 30% off your total solar costs with the federal tax credit. Additionally, Illinois solar owners can save up to 20-30% with the Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credit program. StraightUp Solar offers flexible financing options through our credit union partner, the Clean Energy Credit Union. We can seamlessly set up a loan for 12, 15, or 20 years to fit your energy budget. Ask your solar installer to provide a cash flow statement of incentives, payments, and energy cost savings to determine the payback for your system.

Will You Be There If My System Needs Service?

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Poorly managed solar companies often go out of business, leaving their customers in the dark. It’s important to choose a company that will be there to care for your system for years to come.

OUR SERVICE TEAM

StraightUp Solar has a comprehensive, on-call service department to address any issues with your system. Our service team backs our 10-year workmanship warranty and 10-year production warranty to ensure your system performs as designed. When you go solar with us, your repair will run smoothly since we are familiar with your system design and history.

DON’T FORGET TO
Ask for References!

Google Reviews are a great way to gather more information about a company–we average 4.9 stars across our 3 offices–but with StraightUp Solar you can ask for specific references. We believe in the importance of personal testimonials to make an informed decision.

It’s important to check for accreditations too. StraightUp Solar is proud to have been awarded an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and a BBB Torch Award for ethics. We’ve been chosen as a Top Workplace by the St. Louis Post Dispatch for 5 consecutive years and as a Top Solar Contractor in the U.S. by Solar Power World. We have maintained our B Corp certification status since 2015.

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