2.6 Warranty and maintenance misconceptions

2.6.1 Big installers do not necessarily have better warranty service

Common intuition says a big company will be more reliable. The reality is the opposite. The larger the company, the slower it gets — across every dimension.

Big installers don't maintain a local install-and-service crew in every city. They subcontract. That creates communication friction, and the longer the chain, the less anyone is rewarded for finishing your project quickly or penalized for dragging it to the deadline.

Add financial leverage on top: inventory turnover at large installers operates on a procurement cycle. Replacing one part can take a long time. Online forums are full of complaints like "the unit failed six months ago, they still can't replace it because of inventory, my system has been down for half a year."

We had one SunPower customer whose inverter failed and went seven months without a replacement. Then SunPower went bankrupt and no one was left to take responsibility. They called us and we replaced it out-of-pocket in two weeks.

2.6.2 Is paying for panel cleaning worth it?

We ran two field tests in Southern California, both at the end of a four-to-five month rainless stretch. Before-and-after photos and production data are available on request. Both tests showed the same result: production improved by ~10% the day after cleaning.

Conclusion:

• If you can clean the panels yourself, doing it every two months or so is clearly worthwhile. No special equipment — clean water and a soft mop is enough to remove dust and grime.
• If you're paying someone, ask yourself two things first: is your current production already meeting household demand? If yes, wait for the next rain — it will do the job for free. If you genuinely need more output, do the math: turn that 10% boost into dollars saved on the bill, and figure out how many months it takes to break even on the cleaning fee.

A roof that hasn't been cleaned in years is a special case — some grime is chemical and rain alone won't move it. If the price is reasonable, one deep clean is worth doing. Otherwise, run the numbers first.