Just because you have a worry free warranty on your rooftop solar system doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong. Murphy’s Law -- “anything that can go wrong will go wrong” -- still applies. On this week’s Energy Show we will discuss the few real world things that can happen that may affect the performance of your rooftop solar system.

The good news is that as long as your solar panels, inverters and rooftop mounting systems are installed properly there is almost nothing to worry about. Almost all solar panels sold in the U.S. have 25 year warranties, inverters have 12-25 year warranties, and most installers guarantee their workmanship. So besides keeping your panels clean and checking to see that the inverter is operating properly (hint: look for the green LED), you can look forward to 25+ years of clean energy generation.

Nevertheless, I have seen four general types of problems that are not covered by equipment or installer warranties: damage from rooftop pests (squirrels, rats), damage to the glass of the panels (painting, improper cleaning, tree branches), solar panel defects from non-standard or bankrupt solar companies, and overly optimistic savings estimates. For more about the maintenance and operation of your home solar system, Listen Up to this week’s Energy Show on Renewable Energy World.

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