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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 QuoteWhether your solar company went out of business, provides poor service, or you simply want to add equipment they do not offer -- switching is simpler than you think. Your panels are your property. Your warranties are tied to equipment, not installers. Here is exactly what transfers, what does not, and how to find a new partner.
Switching does not mean there is anything wrong with your solar panels. It means the company behind them is no longer meeting your needs. Here are the most common triggers for Texas homeowners.
Several national solar companies have filed for bankruptcy or restructured in recent years. Sunnova filed Chapter 11 in late 2024. SunPower restructured and sold assets. Smaller regional companies have closed without notice. If your installer is gone, your system still works -- but you have an orphaned system that needs a new service provider.
Your inverter has been down for months with no response. Service tickets go unanswered. Promised follow-ups never happen. When a company stops providing the service quality you were promised, switching is reasonable. You are not locked in -- your system is your property.
Texas grid instability makes battery backup increasingly attractive. If your current installer does not offer battery solutions or quotes prices significantly above market, another company can add storage to your existing solar system. Battery installation does not require the original solar installer.
Your energy needs have changed. A heat pump replaces your gas furnace and reduces utility costs. An EV charger supports your new electric vehicle. If your solar company does not offer these services, a full-service energy company can integrate new equipment with your existing solar system.
Production has dropped 15-30% from Year 1 and your installer will not investigate. Possible causes include inverter degradation, shading from new tree growth, soiled panels, or micro-inverter failures. A new service provider can diagnose and correct the issue.
A real estate transaction requires clear documentation of the solar system: warranties, production history, equipment specs, and proof of proper permitting. If your original installer cannot provide this, a new provider can audit and document the system for the sale.
This is the single most important thing to understand: manufacturer warranties follow the equipment, not the installer. Your panels and inverters retain their warranties even if the installer disappears. Installer warranties, on the other hand, are only as good as the company backing them.
Solar panel manufacturer warranties (typically 25-30 years) are tied to the equipment serial number, not the installer. If your panels are made by a company that is still in business (REC, Canadian Solar, Q Cells, Silfab, etc.), the manufacturer warranty remains valid regardless of which company installed them or who services them now.
Inverter warranties from Enphase (25 years), SolarEdge (12-25 years), and others are tied to the equipment, not the installer. Register your equipment directly with the manufacturer if you have not already. This ensures warranty claims go through the manufacturer regardless of installer status.
The installer's labor and workmanship warranty is only as good as the company behind it. If the installer goes out of business, this warranty is effectively void. This covers things like roof penetration integrity, wiring quality, and mounting hardware. A new service provider can offer their own workmanship warranty going forward.
If your original installer provided a separate roof penetration or leak warranty, it is backed by their company -- not the panel or inverter manufacturer. When the company closes, this warranty disappears. A new provider can inspect penetrations and offer coverage, though they may require remediation of any existing issues first.
Production guarantees are contractual commitments from the installer. If the company no longer exists, there is no entity to enforce the guarantee against. A new service provider can assess whether your system is producing at expected levels and optimize if needed.
Your financing agreement is between you and the financing company (Mosaic, GoodLeap, Sunlight Financial, etc.), not the installer. The loan obligation continues regardless of the installer's status. For leases and PPAs, the agreement transfers with the asset, though the counterparty may have changed through the solar company's bankruptcy proceedings.
Your grid interconnection and permission to operate (PTO) are tied to your property and meter, not the installer. Oncor's records show your system as an approved distributed generation resource. This does not change when you switch service providers.
Your solar buyback plan with your retail electricity provider (REP) is an agreement between you and the REP. Changing solar service providers has no effect on your buyback plan. You can also independently switch REPs for a better buyback rate at any time.
Key Takeaway
The most valuable warranties -- panel and inverter manufacturer warranties -- survive an installer change. What you lose is installer-specific coverage (workmanship, roof penetrations, production guarantee). A new service provider can offer replacement coverage for these items, often as part of a service agreement.
Your solar monitoring platform shows real-time and historical production data. When switching companies, you need to ensure you retain access. The good news: monitoring platforms are designed to support ownership transfers.
Transfer process: Create your own Enphase account at enlighten.enphaseenergy.com if you do not have one. Contact Enphase support to transfer system ownership from the installer account to your personal account. You will need your system serial number and proof of property ownership. Process takes 3-7 business days.
Note: Enphase monitoring continues to function even if the installer account is deactivated. Your microinverters report directly to Enphase servers via your home internet.
Transfer process: Log in to monitoring.solaredge.com or create an account. Contact SolarEdge support with your inverter serial number and proof of ownership to claim the system. Your new service provider can also be added as a maintainer on the account.
Note: SolarEdge inverters require an active internet connection (Ethernet or WiFi) to report data. If monitoring stopped, check your inverter's network connection first.
Transfer process: The Tesla app is linked to your Tesla account. If your installer set up the system under their account, contact Tesla support to transfer. You will need the gateway serial number and proof of property ownership.
Note: Tesla systems (solar and Powerwall) are monitored through Tesla's infrastructure. Installer status does not affect monitoring functionality.
Transfer process: Contact the manufacturer directly with your inverter/optimizer serial numbers and proof of property ownership. Most manufacturers have a straightforward ownership transfer process.
Note: Ensure your monitoring gateway or data logger has an active internet connection. If monitoring has been offline, reconnecting the device often restores historical data.
If Monitoring Is Offline
Your solar panels produce electricity regardless of whether monitoring is connected. If monitoring went offline when your installer deactivated their account or your home internet changed, the panels are still generating. Reconnecting monitoring is usually as simple as restoring the gateway's internet connection and transferring account ownership. No equipment replacement is needed in most cases.
An “orphaned” solar system is one whose installer has gone out of business. In Texas, this has become increasingly common. The solar industry experienced significant consolidation in 2024-2025, with companies like Sunnova filing Chapter 11, SunPower restructuring, and numerous regional installers closing operations.
Solar panels are solid-state devices with no moving parts. They will continue generating electricity for 25-30+ years regardless of whether the company that installed them still exists. Your inverter, wiring, and racking are all installed on your property and function independently of the installer.
The main risk with an orphaned system is deferred maintenance. Without annual inspections, issues like loose connections, ground fault buildup, or micro-inverter failures can go undetected and gradually reduce production.
You do not need the original solar installer to add batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, or additional solar panels. However, there are technical considerations that a qualified provider should address.
Battery retrofit costs in Texas range from $10,000-$18,000 depending on capacity and inverter compatibility.
Adding panels is straightforward. The new installer handles permitting and interconnection amendments.
Best practice: choose a company experienced in both solar and HVAC to optimize the combined system.
An EV adds 3,000-4,500 kWh/year for a typical Texas driver (12,000-15,000 miles).
Choosing a new service provider is an opportunity to upgrade your support experience. Here is a step-by-step approach.
Before contacting new providers, gather what you have: original contract, equipment list (panel brand/model, inverter brand/model), system size in kW, installation date, and any warranty certificates. Check your monitoring platform for production data. If you have none of this, a qualified provider can audit the system on-site.
Contact your panel and inverter manufacturers directly to confirm warranty status. Register equipment under your name if not already done. This establishes that manufacturer warranties are active regardless of installer status.
Follow the platform-specific steps above to ensure you have direct access to your system monitoring. This gives you and your new provider visibility into system performance.
Ask your prospective new service provider to conduct a full system inspection: panel condition, inverter operation, wiring integrity, roof penetrations, grounding, and production vs expected output. This baseline tells you what, if anything, needs attention.
A good service provider will offer ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Typical annual service agreements in Texas range from $150-$400/year and include annual inspection, monitoring, priority service response, and basic cleaning.
Verify your new provider holds a valid Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) electrical license. This is legally required for any solar electrical work in Texas. Verify at tdlr.texas.gov.
What to Look For in a New Provider
The best service providers for orphaned or transferred systems have experience working with multiple equipment brands (not just one manufacturer), offer ongoing monitoring and maintenance agreements, carry proper TDLR licensing, and can service your existing system while also handling upgrades like battery storage or heat pumps. Ask specifically about their experience with system takeovers and orphaned system adoptions.
Many homeowners worry that switching companies will void their warranties. This is largely a myth, but there are nuances to understand.
Reality: Panel manufacturer warranties (REC, Canadian Solar, Q Cells, Silfab, etc.) are tied to the equipment serial number and the property address. They are not contingent on maintaining a relationship with the original installer. The manufacturer warrants the product regardless of who installed or maintains it.
Reality: Most manufacturers allow any authorized service provider or even the homeowner directly to file warranty claims. Enphase and SolarEdge both have direct homeowner warranty claim processes. Your new service provider can also file claims on your behalf as a registered dealer.
When your original installer is gone, the workmanship warranty (covering installation quality, roof penetrations, wiring, and mounting) goes with them. This is the one area where you lose coverage. A reputable new service provider will inspect the installation and can offer a workmanship warranty going forward. Some may require remediation of existing issues (loose flashing, improper grounding, etc.) before extending coverage. Budget $200-$500 for a comprehensive inspection and plan for $500-$2,000 in remediation if issues are found.
Straight answers to the most common concerns from Texas homeowners considering a switch.
Yes. Your solar loan is between you and the financing company (Mosaic, GoodLeap, etc.), not the installer. You continue making loan payments regardless of which company services your system. Switching service providers does not affect your loan terms, balance, or payment schedule. The new provider simply takes over maintenance and monitoring.
Panel and inverter manufacturer warranties remain valid -- they are tied to the equipment, not the installer. What you lose is the installer's workmanship warranty, which covers labor, roof penetrations, and mounting. A new service provider can offer their own workmanship warranty, though they may first inspect the installation and require any existing issues to be addressed.
Yes. Battery storage can be added by any qualified installer, not just the original solar company. The new installer will assess your existing inverter compatibility (some inverters support battery retrofit, others need replacement), electrical panel capacity, and system design. Adding a battery is a common service -- most Texas solar companies are experienced with retrofit installations.
Contact the monitoring platform directly (Enphase: enlighten.enphaseenergy.com, SolarEdge: monitoring.solaredge.com) with your equipment serial numbers and proof of property ownership. Request ownership transfer to your personal account, then authorize your new service provider as a maintainer. This process typically takes 3-7 business days and does not interrupt system operation.
No. Your Oncor interconnection agreement and permission to operate (PTO) are tied to your property address and meter number, not your installer. Your bi-directional meter continues to function, and your solar buyback plan with your REP remains in effect. Switching service providers has no impact on your grid connection.
Absolutely. Heat pump installation is HVAC work, not solar work. Any licensed HVAC contractor can install a heat pump regardless of who installed your solar panels. For optimal integration, choose a company that understands both solar and heat pump systems so they can ensure your electrical panel can handle both loads and your solar system is sized for the added consumption.
First, check the basics: is the inverter on? Is the monitoring gateway connected to the internet? Is the breaker tripped? If the system is truly down, contact the inverter manufacturer for warranty service (they work with local service partners). Simultaneously, reach out to a local licensed solar company for a system health assessment. Most production issues are inverter-related and covered by manufacturer warranty.
Whether your solar company closed, provides poor service, or you want to add battery storage and heat pumps -- NuWatt helps Texas homeowners review takeover scope, service needs, and upgrade options with licensed solar support.