"Everything Is Covered for 25 Years"

“25-year warranty” is one of the most repeated lines in solar sales, and one of the most misunderstood. A home solar system usually comes with at least four separate warranties, each with its own length and its own company standing behind it. The 25-year number usually refers to the panels alone. The installer’s warranty on its own work, which covers leaks and wiring mistakes, is often much shorter. And it only matters if the installer is still around.

The warranties in a typical solar quote

Warranty	Who backs it	What it covers	What to check
Panel product	Panel maker	Defects in the panel itself	Length, and whether labor is included
Panel performance	Panel maker	Output stays above a set percentage over time	The guaranteed percentage at year 25
Inverter	Inverter maker	Inverter failures	String inverters often last 10 to 15 years; microinverters often carry 25-year warranties
Workmanship	Installer	Installation errors, wiring, sometimes leaks	Length, roof coverage, and whether it’s insured
Battery	Battery maker	Capacity and defects	Years and throughput limits, whichever comes first

Why salespeople blur it

“25 years, everything covered” is simpler and more reassuring than five documents. A short workmanship warranty, or one from a small company, raises fair questions about the installer’s staying power.

Why the backer matters

A warranty is a promise. If the company making it disappears, so does the promise. Several large installers have failed recently:

• Freedom Forever filed Chapter 11 in April 2026 and converted to Chapter 7 liquidation in August 2026.
• Titan Solar Power closed in June 2024 and liquidated under Chapter 7.
• SunPower filed Chapter 11 in August 2024; part of its business was sold and the rest wound down.
• Purelight Power shut down and filed to liquidate in December 2025.

Manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters can survive an installer’s failure. But you may then have to pay a new installer for the labor to diagnose, remove and replace a part. See when your solar company goes out of business.

A worked example

A string inverter fails in year 12. Your panels carry a 25-year warranty, so you assume you’re covered. But the inverter warranty ended in year 10, and the installer that offered a 10-year workmanship warranty has closed. Typical string inverter replacement runs about $1,500 to $3,000 including labor, and can be higher. That cost wasn’t in your savings estimate.

With a 25-year microinverter warranty that includes a labor allowance, the same failure might cost little or nothing out of pocket, if the manufacturer is still operating. Neither setup is always better. It’s a trade-off you should see clearly before signing.

How it shows up in a quote or contract

• “25-year warranty” in big print with no breakdown
• Workmanship listed as “per installer policy” or not at all
• Exclusions for “roof damage,” “acts of God” or “third-party work”
• A requirement that only the original installer service the system to keep coverage

Questions to ask

• “Which warranty is 25 years? What exactly does it cover?”
• “How long is your workmanship warranty, and does it cover roof leaks?”
• “Is your workmanship warranty backed by insurance if you go out of business?”
• “Does the manufacturer warranty include labor? How much?”
• “Who do I call in year 15 if something fails?”

What to do next

Check equipment details on our inverter, solar panel and battery pages, and look up companies in our installers directory. Our guides on solar panel lifespan and warranties and microinverters vs. string inverters compare options. When comparing bids, enter warranty terms in compare quotes.

Bottom line: Ask “who backs it, and what does it cover?” for every warranty. The answer matters more than the number of years.

Where to report it

If an installer refuses to honor a written workmanship warranty, file a complaint with your state contractor licensing board and your state attorney general. For misleading warranty claims in sales, report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.