Reasons to be wary of the solar “man in a van” | Infinite Energy

Reasons to be wary of the solar “man in a van”

Reasons to be wary of the solar “man in a van”

Written by Infinite Energy

If you have started researching solar installers, it might seem that there are simply too many to choose from! In fact, just last year despite the economic downturn of COVID-19, the number of Clean Energy Council accredited solar installers increased by 17%, with the number of accredited solar installers surging by more than 3000 over the past five years according to The 2021 Clean Energy Australia Report.

Many of these recently launched solar companies are likely to be “man-in-a-van” type providers, often self-employed or working in smalls teams to do the selling and installing of solar power systems. At Infinite Energy, we are strong supporters of small and local businesses and welcome more companies investing in a renewable energy future, but there are a couple of things you should be aware of before making significant investments like solar energy systems from new and smaller, untested solar providers.

Company longevity

One of the main things that we recommend people to check when researching solar companies is to verify how long a company has been around, ideally, for longer than 5 years. This is because the 5-year mark is often when things can start to go wrong with a solar power system, and warranty claims and replacements can get expensive and often overwhelming for smaller companies. This means that if a company can get through this 5-year period, you have a better chance of them lasting the distance. This of course is difficult to test when the solar installer is relatively new, so you are likely to have to take your chance on an unproven company.

Product partnerships

Many top solar manufacturers will only work with reputable, long-standing companies, which can be tough for new players on the market. What this means for the consumer is that you may not have access to as many tier-1, premium solar products than if you were to install with a more established company. As we have mentioned before, it is important to ensure that the solar installer that you invest with uses high-quality solar modules from companies with an Australian presence. Otherwise, you could be at risk of your solar energy system failing in the future and may find it hard to get a replacement or refund under warranty and may have trouble with after-sales support.

Company reputation

One thing that is very useful when researching solar companies is to check out their reviews on review website like Google, Facebook and Product Review, specialist solar sites like Solar Quotes, or even forums like Whirlpool. However, if a solar company is very new or simply hasn’t installed many systems, they are not likely to have many reviews or testimonials written about them, and unfortunately, you will just need to take their word on the quality of their solar power systems and installation practices.

Safety standards

One accomplishment that we are especially proud of at Infinite Energy is our achievements when it comes to workplace safety and quality of workmanship. In fact, in a recent audit by SAI Global, we achieved re-certification to the highest workplace safety and quality international standards. Occupational Health & Safety management ISO45001 and Quality Management ISO9001. What this means is that Infinite Energy are continuously striving to provide a safe workplace while delivering the highest quality of workmanship possible. These certifications are not easy to achieve; they were earned through the hard work of our management team and HSEQ specialists and are a testament to our commitment to the safety of our office staff and installation teams. Many newer and smaller companies simply do not have the time or resources available to do the work needed to achieve these certifications and so would not be able to make the same assurances about their safety record and procedures.

After-sales service

One of the points of difference that we pride ourselves on at Infinite Energy is our dedicated in-house after-sales service team. The reason that our service team is such a big benefit to our customers is that it is a single point of contact they can access if they have any issues with their solar power system, rather than having to try and diagnose the problem themselves, or try and chase up answers from the manufacturer directly. Smaller man-in-a-van type companies are unlikely to have these kinds of resources at their disposal, which means that if your solar energy system does run into an issue in the future, it will be a lot harder to get answers to any troubleshooting queries you may have, or in the worst-case scenario, trying to sort out warranty replacements or refunds.

Make the right choice for your solar

With the above in mind, if you have considered the risks and still want to support an up-and-coming solar installer, then ensure you do your due diligence when researching so that you can be confident in your decision.

If you would like any further information on the points raised in this blog, or if you would like to learn about the Infinite Energy difference and get a quote for solar, you can give us a call on 1300 074 669 or make an enquiry here. We can help you over the phone, via email, or book you in for an obligation-free home consultation.

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