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NuWatt designs, installs, and manages solar, battery, heat pump, and EV charger systems across 9 states. One company, one warranty, one point of contact.
Get a Free QuoteThree types of warranties protect your Maine solar investment — and not all are created equal. Freeze-thaw cycles, ice dams, and nor'easters make workmanship warranty terms more important in Maine than almost anywhere else in the country.
When a salesperson says “30-year warranty,” ask: which one? There are three distinct warranty types, and they cover very different things.
Covers
Manufacturing defects, premature failure, materials and workmanship by the panel maker
Does NOT Cover
Performance degradation (separate warranty), physical damage, weather events
Why It Matters in Maine
If a panel stops producing entirely due to a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer replaces it at no cost. You ship the panel back (or they arrange logistics). For Maine, manufacturing defects in junction boxes or backsheets from thermal cycling can appear within 5-10 years.
Covers
Guarantees minimum power output at Year 10, 20, and 25. Typically 90% at Year 10, 80–87% at Year 25.
Does NOT Cover
Output loss due to shading, soiling, inverter issues, or improper installation
Why It Matters in Maine
This is the "degradation guarantee." If your panels degrade faster than the guaranteed rate, the manufacturer compensates you (usually with replacement panels). Maine's moderate temperatures actually slow degradation compared to hot-climate states.
Covers
Installation quality: flashing integrity, mount torque, wiring, and waterproofing at all roof penetrations
Does NOT Cover
Panel or inverter manufacturing defects, storm damage, force majeure events
Why It Matters in Maine
This is the most important warranty for Maine homeowners. Freeze-thaw cycles, ice dam pressure, and heavy snow stress roof mounts and flashings year after year. A 1-year workmanship warranty is almost useless in Maine. NuWatt offers 25 years.
NuWatt installs Silfab, REC, and Hyundai panels in Maine. Here is how their warranty terms compare.
| Panel | Product Warranty | Performance Warranty | Yr 25 Output | Degradation | FEOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silfab 440WNuWatt Primary | 25 years | 30 years | 86% guaranteed | 0.5%/year (yr 1: 2%) | Yes |
| REC 460W | 25 years | 25 years | 86% guaranteed | 0.5%/year (yr 1: 2%) | No |
| Hyundai 440W | 25 years | 25 years | 80.2% guaranteed | 0.54%/year (yr 1: 2%) | No |
| Q.CELLS 415W | 12 years | 25 years | 86% guaranteed | 0.54%/year | No |
Note: Warranty terms are subject to manufacturer updates. Confirm current terms at time of purchase.
Inverters convert DC power from panels to AC power for your home. Their warranty terms differ significantly.
Microinverter
25 years
Industry-leading 25-year standard warranty for all IQ8 series. Unit-level production monitoring included. If a microinverter fails, only that unit is swapped — the rest of the system keeps producing.
String Inverter
12 years (extendable to 20–25 yr)
SolarEdge string inverters carry a 12-year standard warranty, upgradeable to 20 or 25 years for additional cost. String inverter failure means the whole system goes down until repaired — unlike microinverters.
Microinverter
25 years
Hoymiles microinverters carry a 25-year warranty, now available as a lower-cost alternative to Enphase in some NuWatt configurations.
Enphase advantage in Maine: Microinverter architecture means one failed unit does not take down the entire system. In winter, when prompt service calls may be delayed by weather, continued partial production matters. String inverter failure halts 100% of production until repaired.
Maine's climate creates failure modes that homeowners in other states rarely face. Here is how coverage applies to each.
Covered By
Workmanship warranty
Insurance Handles
Not typically covered (wear and tear)
Maine experiences 80–110 freeze-thaw cycles annually. This repeated expansion and contraction stresses roof mount flashings, junction box seals, and wire conduits. A quality workmanship warranty covers deterioration of installer-installed components due to these cycles.
Covered By
Workmanship warranty (if flashing improperly installed)
Insurance Handles
Homeowner insurance (water damage from ice dams)
Ice dams form when heat escapes through poorly ventilated roofs, melts snow, and the water refreezes at the eaves. Ice pressure can lever against solar mounts. If a mount was improperly torqued or flashed, the workmanship warranty applies. Water damage inside the home is a homeowner insurance claim.
Covered By
Engineering standard (not warranty)
Insurance Handles
Structural damage covered if storm-related
Maine ground snow loads reach 50–120 psf in the north. Racking must be engineered for these loads, and most quality systems are. If racking fails under a documented snow event, this is typically an insurance claim, not a warranty claim — provided the racking met code.
Covered By
NOT covered by any panel/inverter warranty
Insurance Handles
Wildlife damage — some homeowner policies cover
Squirrels chewing wires, birds nesting under arrays, and woodpeckers are real issues in rural Maine. Panel and inverter warranties explicitly exclude animal damage. Solar critter guards (wire mesh around array perimeter) prevent this. Check your homeowner policy for wildlife damage coverage.
Covered By
NOT a workmanship claim (force majeure)
Insurance Handles
Covered as windstorm peril by homeowner insurance
If a documented nor'easter with 60+ mph gusts damages your panels or racking, this is a homeowner insurance claim — not a workmanship or product warranty claim. Ensure your policy explicitly lists solar panels under dwelling or scheduled personal property coverage.
NuWatt Energy offers a 25-year workmanship warranty on all Maine installations — covering every aspect of the installation we perform: flashing, mounts, racking, conduit, wiring, and connectors.
Flashing & Waterproofing
25-year coverage on all roof penetrations and flashing systems
Racking & Mounts
Structural integrity of all mounting hardware and racking components
Electrical Wiring
All conduit, wiring runs, connectors, and junction boxes we install
Roof Penetrations
No leak claims related to our installation — guaranteed for 25 years
| Installer | Workmanship Warranty |
|---|---|
| NuWatt Energy | 25 years |
| Maine Solar Solutions | 10–30 years (varies by product) |
| National Installers (Sunrun, etc.) | 10–25 years (TPO terms vary) |
| Regional Contractors (typical) | 1–5 years |
Silfab, REC, Enphase, and Hoymiles warranties are with the manufacturer — not the installer. If NuWatt (or any installer) were to cease operations, your panel and inverter warranties remain fully intact. You would contact the manufacturer directly using your equipment serial numbers.
If the installer closes, the workmanship warranty is typically unenforceable — it is not backed by a third-party insurer in most cases. This is one of the most important reasons to choose an established company with a long track record. NuWatt has operated in New England since 2008 with 2,500+ completed installations.
If your installer goes out of business, contact the equipment manufacturer (Silfab, Enphase, etc.) for manufacturing issues. For workmanship issues, contact another NABCEP-certified installer for an inspection and repair estimate. Keep all original installation documentation, permits, and equipment serial numbers.
A 25-year warranty from manufacturers like Silfab typically includes two components: a 25-year product warranty (covering manufacturing defects) and a 30-year performance warranty (guaranteeing that panels produce at least 86% of their rated output at Year 25). If panels degrade faster than guaranteed, the manufacturer provides replacement panels or compensation. Maine's moderate climate is actually good for panel longevity — panels degrade slower in cold climates than in hot ones.
Maine's freeze-thaw cycles, ice dams, and heavy snow loads stress the installed components — flashings, mounts, wiring conduits, and connectors — far more than the panels themselves. Panel manufacturing defects are rare; installation quality issues are not. A short workmanship warranty (1-5 years) leaves you exposed for 20+ years of winter stress on the installed system. NuWatt's 25-year workmanship warranty means we stand behind every flashing, every bolt, and every wire for the life of the system.
Workmanship warranties are only as good as the company behind them. If an installer goes out of business, the workmanship warranty typically becomes unenforceable — it's not backed by a third-party insurer in most cases. This is a key reason to choose an established, financially stable installer. Manufacturer warranties (Silfab, Enphase, etc.) survive installer bankruptcy — they are with the manufacturer, not the installer.
No — snow sliding off panels is normal and expected. However, if a documented extreme snow event (blizzard with unusually heavy loads) causes structural damage to the racking system, that is typically covered under homeowner insurance as a weather event, not a warranty claim. The panel product and performance warranties are not voided by normal snow conditions Maine panels are designed to handle.
Yes. Silfab 440W panels are manufactured in North America (Canada and Washington State), tested for cold-climate performance, and carry a 25-year product / 30-year performance warranty with 86% output guaranteed at Year 25. Silfab panels are FEOC-compliant, which is required for NuWatt's Propel financing in Maine.
No — animal damage is explicitly excluded from all solar panel, inverter, and most workmanship warranties. Squirrels chewing wiring under arrays is one of the most common repair calls in rural Maine. The solution is critter guards (wire mesh installed around the perimeter of the array) which NuWatt installs. Homeowner insurance may cover wildlife damage — check your policy.
For a workmanship issue (leak at a mount, loose racking, wiring problem): contact NuWatt directly. We send a technician within our service area in Maine. For a panel defect (panel stopped producing with no installation cause): contact Silfab or REC directly with your serial number and production data from your monitoring app. Enphase monitoring makes it easy to identify which panel/microinverter is underperforming.
NuWatt installs Silfab 440W panels (FEOC-compliant, 25-yr product / 30-yr performance warranty) with Enphase IQ8 microinverters (25-yr warranty) and covers all installation workmanship for 25 years.