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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 warranty types. Brand-by-brand comparison. VT-specific climate concerns — snow loads, freeze-thaw, intense summer UV. And what to do when your installer goes out of business.
Every solar installation comes with three separate warranties covering three different risks. Understanding each one — and who backs it — is essential for Vermont homeowners.
Covers manufacturing defects, delamination, corrosion of the cell, frame failure, and physical defects that cause the panel to fail or become unusable.
Does not cover damage from improper installation, scratches, hail beyond rated impact thresholds, or theft.
Important for VT: freeze-thaw delamination and frame corrosion from road salt (near highways) are product warranty issues. Keep photos of any panel that shows bubbling or discoloration.
Who is backing the warranty — manufacturer or a third party? Manufacturer-direct is stronger.
Guarantees the panel will produce a minimum percentage of its rated wattage over time. A typical guarantee is 90% at 10 years and 80% (or better) at 25-30 years.
Does not cover production loss from shade, soiling, inverter issues, or installer errors. You must prove the panel itself is producing below the guaranteed threshold.
Vermont's freeze-thaw cycles and UV exposure from high-altitude sites (Stowe, Killington area) can accelerate degradation slightly. Choose brands with 0.45%/year or less annual degradation guarantee.
Read the fine print: some brands guarantee "no more than 0.5%/yr degradation" — others only guarantee a floor at year 25.
Covers installer errors: roof penetration leaks, improperly torqued mounting hardware, wiring errors, and substandard racking. This warranty is from your installer, not the manufacturer.
Does not cover equipment failure (panel or inverter defects), storm damage, or post-installation modifications.
Critical in VT: roof leaks from improperly flashed penetrations are an installer workmanship issue. Vermont's snow loads stress mounting hardware — get at least a 10-year workmanship warranty.
What is the installer's financial health? A 25-year workmanship warranty is worthless if the company is gone in 5 years. See below for what to do when installers go bankrupt.
NuWatt installs three panel tiers in Vermont. Here is how their warranties compare for VT conditions.
Best overall warranty in class. North American manufacturer with long track record. Made in Ontario and Bellingham.
Solid warranty from established manufacturer. Slightly higher degradation rate than Silfab. Good value for cash/loan buyers.
REC ProTrust adds a unique labor coverage component — manufacturer pays for removal/reinstallation labor on defective panels. Useful for Vermont's steep-roof installs.
Inverters fail more often than panels. In Vermont's cold winters, string inverters face added thermal stress. Here is what each major inverter brand covers.
Best warranty in residential inverters. Microinverter architecture means one failure does not take down the whole system.
Strongly recommend purchasing the 25-year extension for Vermont. SolarEdge inverters in cold climates see higher failure rates than microinverters.
Hoymiles growing in VT market for small systems. 25-year coverage competitive with Enphase.
| Concern | Risk Level | Description | Warranty Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze-Thaw Cycling | Medium | Vermont experiences 100-200+ freeze-thaw cycles per year. This stresses panel frame seals and backsheet. Look for panels with PVEL POA (Proven Outdoor Accelerated) testing. | Yes — product warranty if panel shows delamination or moisture ingress |
| Heavy Snow Load | Low | Modern panels are rated 40-50 lbs/sq ft, far above Vermont snowfall. Snow load failures are extremely rare with quality panels on proper racking. | Yes — product warranty if frame or glass fails under rated load |
| Short Season Intense UV | Medium | Vermont summer UV is intense, especially at elevation. High UV accelerates EVA encapsulant yellowing and backsheet degradation. Look for UV resistance ratings. | Yes — performance warranty if output drops below guaranteed floor |
| Ice Dam Water Intrusion | Medium (older homes) | Ice dams on older Vermont roofs can redirect water under flashing and into roof penetrations. This is installer workmanship territory, not panel warranty. | Installer workmanship warranty only — ensure proper flashing was installed |
| Wildlife Damage | Medium | Squirrel-chewed wiring is not covered by any panel warranty — it is physical damage. Critter guard prevention is the only protection. | No — exclusion in all manufacturer warranties |
Vermont has seen solar installer consolidation and some bankruptcies — most notably iSun (the parent of SunCommon), which encountered financial difficulties. If your installer closes, here is your action plan.
Gather your original contract, warranty certificates, system design, and CPG approval. These establish what was promised vs. delivered.
Panel and inverter warranties survive installer bankruptcy. Contact Silfab, Hyundai, REC, or Enphase directly with your serial numbers. Manufacturer warranties are between you and the brand — the installer bankruptcy is irrelevant.
Some installers carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance that survives corporate dissolution. Ask the bankruptcy trustee or court filing for any insurance policy information.
Vermont Attorney General has taken action against solar companies that abandoned customers. File a complaint at ago.vermont.gov. The Vermont PUC can also assist with CPG-related issues if interconnection is affected.
The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) maintains certified installer lists. A NABCEP-certified company can assess your existing system and provide workmanship remediation.
Before signing with any new service company, commission an independent inspection ($300-600) to document system condition. This establishes a baseline for any workmanship remediation work.
Ask any Vermont solar installer for their years in business, number of VT installations completed, NABCEP certification, E&O insurance certificate, and at least three Vermont references. NuWatt has been operating in New England since 2008 with 2,500+ installations and full NABCEP certification.
Solar systems have three distinct warranty types. (1) Product warranty: covers manufacturing defects in the panel itself — typically 25-30 years. (2) Performance warranty: guarantees the panel will produce a minimum percentage of rated output over time — typically 80%+ at year 25-30, with 0.45-0.55%/year maximum degradation. (3) Workmanship warranty: covers installer errors including roof leaks, wiring mistakes, and mounting hardware failures — typically 2-25 years, and only as good as the installer remains solvent.
Silfab 440W offers the strongest warranty for Vermont conditions: 30-year product warranty (versus 25 for Hyundai/REC), 30-year performance warranty with 0.45%/year maximum degradation, and North American manufacturing that makes warranty claims logistically straightforward. REC 460W adds the ProTrust labor coverage feature, which pays for removal/reinstall labor on defective panels — valuable for Vermont steep-slope installs. Hyundai 440W is the most affordable option with solid 25-year coverage.
No. All panels sold in Vermont are tested and certified to IEC 61215, which includes 200 thermal cycles from -40°C to +85°C. Freeze-thaw damage to panels that were properly manufactured and installed is a product warranty claim, not a customer-caused exclusion. However, if a panel fails due to impact damage from ice or improper installation in extreme cold (such as not following the manufacturer's minimum installation temperature guidelines), the claim may be challenged. Document any unusual weather events and panel behavior to support claims.
For Vermont installations, we recommend: (1) Enphase IQ8 microinverters — 25-year warranty standard, no extension needed, and the modular architecture means one failure does not affect other panels. (2) SolarEdge — purchase the 25-year extension for the main inverter if choosing a string inverter setup; the optimizer warranty is lifetime. Avoid systems with only 10-12 year standard inverter warranties without an affordable extension path — inverters are the most failure-prone component and often fail around year 12-15.
Panel and inverter warranties (product and performance) survive installer bankruptcy. These warranties are between you and the manufacturer — Silfab, Hyundai, REC, Enphase, SolarEdge — and the installer's status is irrelevant. Workmanship warranties are issued by the installer and generally become worthless if the company dissolves. To protect yourself: choose installers who have been in business 10+ years in Vermont, verify they carry E&O insurance, and contact manufacturers directly with serial numbers to register your equipment immediately after installation.
Start by contacting your installer — they are usually the first point of contact for manufacturer warranty claims. If your installer is unresponsive or out of business, contact the manufacturer directly with your panel serial numbers (found on the back of each panel or in your installation documents). For Silfab, call their warranty line or email warranty@silfab.ca. For Enphase microinverter issues, report through the Enlighten monitoring app — it flags underperforming units automatically. Document performance data from your monitoring system to support the claim.
NuWatt backs every Vermont installation with manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters, plus our own workmanship warranty. We have been in New England since 2008 — we will be here to honor it.