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There are three types of solar warranties — and most homeowners only know about one. Understanding product, performance, and workmanship warranties protects your investment for 25 years. Here's what RI homeowners need to know, including coastal salt and nor'easter considerations.
The Three Warranties at a Glance
Product warranty (25 yr): manufacturer covers manufacturing defects in panels. Performance warranty (25 yr): manufacturer guarantees at least 80-92% of rated output. Workmanship warranty (10-25 yr): installer covers their installation work — racking, wiring, roof penetrations. All three matter. The weakest link in your warranty chain is usually the workmanship warranty.
Covers
Covers manufacturing defects — delamination, junction box failures, glass cracking from internal stress, cell failures. Does NOT cover damage from external events (hail, falling branches, storm).
Does Not Cover
Normal wear and degradation, cosmetic damage, storm damage, installation errors.
Rhode Island Note
Most tier-1 manufacturers offer 25-year product warranties. Coastal RI homeowners should look for IEC 61701 salt mist corrosion testing on the panel datasheet.
Covers
Guarantees panels will produce a minimum percentage of rated output. Most tier-1 brands guarantee 80-87% after 25 years; premium brands (REC, SunPower) guarantee 90-92%. Allows year 1 degradation of 2-3%, then ~0.25-0.5%/year.
Does Not Cover
Production losses from shading, soiling, inverter issues, grid outages — only panel output degradation.
Rhode Island Note
Your monitoring app (Enphase or SolarEdge) tracks production year-over-year. Performance claims require documentation of actual vs. expected output over time — your app generates these reports automatically.
Covers
Covers installer workmanship: racking integrity, roof penetrations, flashing, conduit runs, electrical connections, inverter installation. If any roof penetration created by the installer leaks, or wiring fails due to installation error, this warranty covers the repair.
Does Not Cover
Panel failures (covered by manufacturer), storm damage, owner modifications, third-party work after installation.
Rhode Island Note
This is the most variable warranty — terms range from 10 years (many installers) to 25 years (NuWatt standard). In coastal RI, where salt air and freeze-thaw cycles stress installation components, a longer workmanship warranty matters more than in lower-exposure areas.
Performance warranty terms vary significantly between brands. The degradation rate determines how much power your panels produce in year 15 vs. year 1 — a difference of thousands of dollars in lifetime energy value for a Rhode Island system.
| Panel | Product | Performance | Degradation | Coastal Test | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silfab 440W (FEOC) | 25 years | 87% at 25yr | 0.30%/yr | IEC 61701 tested | NuWatt default for Propel financing (FEOC-qualified) |
| Hyundai 440W | 25 years | 87.4% at 25yr | 0.26%/yr | IEC 61701 tested | NuWatt entry tier — best $/W value |
| REC 460W | 25 years | 92% at 25yr | 0.25%/yr | IEC 61701 certified (highest rating) | NuWatt premium tier — top coastal performance |
| Canadian Solar 440W | 25 years | 84.8% at 25yr | 0.50%/yr | IEC 61701 tested | Common in market — watch for higher degradation |
| QCells 430W | 25 years | 86% at 25yr | 0.40%/yr | IEC 61701 tested | Widely available — mid-tier performance |
Inverters are the most likely component to need replacement over a 25-year system life. Warranty terms vary significantly:
25 years
No extension needed
Industry-leading warranty. Each panel has its own microinverter — one failure doesn't affect the rest of the system. NuWatt's primary inverter choice for RI.
12 years standard (ext. to 25 yr available)
Extended warranty purchase recommended
Shorter base warranty than Enphase. Extended warranty brings it to 25 years but adds upfront cost. Good system-level monitoring.
10-12 years standard
Extensions vary by brand
Common in commercial and larger residential installations. May require replacement mid-system-life without extended warranty.
IEC 61701 is the international standard for salt mist corrosion testing. Tier-1 panels pass this test, but hardware — racking brackets, bolts, grounding components — is where salt damage most often occurs. Marine-grade 316 stainless steel hardware, or hot-dip galvanized components, should be used within 1 mile of salt water. Ask your installer for hardware specs before signing.
Panels are rated for 2,400 Pa wind pressure (equivalent to ~140 mph), but storm damage from debris is not a warranty event — it's a homeowner's insurance claim. After any nor'easter, document panel condition with photos from the ground. If a panel was cracked by a branch, that's an insurance claim, not a warranty claim.
Providence averages 10-15 freeze-thaw cycles per winter. Panel glass and frames are designed to handle this, but repeated cycling stresses roof penetrations and sealants. If your installer used inferior sealant at racking feet, freeze-thaw can cause cracking and leak risk within 5-10 years. A 25-year workmanship warranty provides recourse for this failure mode.
The solar industry has seen significant installer consolidation and bankruptcies — including SunPower (2024), Sungevity, and many regional installers. Here's how to protect yourself:
Panel manufacturer warranties survive
Your product and performance warranties are with the manufacturer (Silfab, Hyundai, REC), not your installer. File claims directly with the manufacturer using your installation documentation.
Inverter warranties survive
Enphase and SolarEdge warranties are registered with the manufacturer. Keep your serial numbers and installation date — you'll need them to file a warranty claim directly.
Workmanship warranty may be voided
Workmanship warranties from a bankrupt installer are typically unenforceable. This is the highest-risk warranty for homeowners. Choosing a financially stable local installer mitigates this risk.
Check for bonded warranty programs
Some installers participate in warranty bond programs (like NABCEP's warranty program) that cover workmanship claims even if the installer goes out of business. Ask prospective installers if they have a bonded warranty.
Every NuWatt installation in Rhode Island includes a 25-year workmanship warranty — the industry's strongest. We've been operating in Rhode Island for 17+ years and hold an A+ BBB rating. We use marine-grade hardware for all coastal installations within 1 mile of salt water. Our warranty is fully transferable if you sell your home.
There are three: (1) Product/equipment warranty — covers manufacturing defects in panels, typically 10-25 years. (2) Performance warranty — guarantees panels produce at least 80-87% of rated output over 25 years. (3) Workmanship warranty — covers installation defects like improper racking, wiring, or roof sealing, typically 10-25 years from the installer.
Panasonic, REC, and SunPower historically offered the strongest combined warranties — 25 years product + 25 years performance at 92% output floor. Most tier-1 brands (Silfab, Hyundai, Canadian Solar) offer 25-year product warranties with 80-87% performance guarantees. The installer's workmanship warranty is equally important — look for 25 years.
Panel manufacturer warranties survive installer bankruptcy — they're backed by the manufacturer directly. File claims with the manufacturer using your installation documentation. Your workmanship warranty (which covers the installation itself) may be voided by installer bankruptcy, unless they had a bonded warranty program. This is why choosing a financially stable installer matters as much as the warranty terms.
Not typically — tier-1 panel manufacturers test panels under IEC 61701 salt mist corrosion standards. However, warranty claims related to corrosion of mounting hardware are more nuanced. If your installer used standard steel racking hardware in a coastal zone and it corrodes, that's a workmanship issue. Ask whether your installer used marine-grade (316 stainless) or hot-dip galvanized hardware for coastal installations.
Panel warranties cover manufacturing defects, not weather damage. However, if panels were properly rated for RI's 90-115 mph design wind speed and still failed, you may have a warranty claim. Storm damage is typically handled through homeowner's insurance. Document everything with photos immediately after the event.
NuWatt's workmanship warranty covers defects in our installation work: racking, roof penetrations, flashing, electrical connections, and conduit runs. If any roof penetration we created leaks, we fix it at no cost. If a wiring connection fails due to our workmanship, we repair it. The warranty runs 25 years from installation date and is transferable if you sell your home.
NuWatt Energy installs tier-1 panels with industry-leading warranty coverage — and our 25-year workmanship warranty protects your RI home for the full system life.
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