Solar Installer Warranties Compared: Sunrun, LightReach, SunPower, Trinity, Momentum and More

A solar installer warranty comparison shows big differences: published workmanship coverage from major US providers ranges from 10 to 25 years, roof penetration coverage from 5 to 10 years, and only some providers guarantee how much energy the system will produce. Lease and PPA programs, where the provider owns the system, tend to include longer service coverage than systems you buy.

This guide compares what each company published as of November 2026. Your signed contract always controls, so use this as a checklist, not a promise.

Key takeaways

• There are three layers of coverage: manufacturer warranties on equipment, the installer's workmanship and roof warranties, and any production guarantee.
• Palmetto's LightReach plans list 25-year workmanship, 10-year roof penetration and a 90% performance guarantee.
• Sunrun lists a 10-year workmanship guarantee and 5-year roof penetration warranty for systems you buy, and longer coverage for its subscription plans.
• Trinity Solar lists 10 years on labor and 5 on roof penetrations for upfront purchases; SunPower Inc. lists 10-year workmanship.
• An installer warranty is only as good as the company behind it, so check financial stability too.

The three types of solar warranties

When you compare solar companies, separate these layers:

1. Manufacturer (product) warranties cover defects in panels, inverters and batteries. They come from the equipment maker. Tesla, for example, says panel makers guarantee at least 80% of nameplate power capacity for at least 25 years.
2. Installer workmanship warranties cover installation errors, such as loose wiring or faulty mounting. They come from the installer.
3. Roof penetration warranties cover leaks where the racking is attached to your roof.

Some providers add a production or performance guarantee, promising a minimum share of the estimated output and paying you if the system falls short. The Federal Trade Commission suggests checking whether output is guaranteed and how the company pays if it is not met.

For more on the second layer, see what a solar workmanship warranty covers.

Solar installer warranty comparison table

Provider and plan	Workmanship	Roof penetrations	Production guarantee	Other coverage
Palmetto LightReach (lease or PPA)	25 years	10 years	90%, reviewed every 3 years	Panels, inverters, storage 25 years unless otherwise specified; monitoring and maintenance
Sunrun subscription (lease or PPA)	For life of contract	5 years	90% of estimated production; not available in Florida	25 years of maintenance and repairs
Sunrun purchase	10 years	5 years	Not listed on plans page	Manufacturer equipment warranties
SunPower Inc. (energized after Sept. 30, 2024)	10 years, incl. roof penetrations	Included in workmanship	Yes, below set benchmarks; terms apply	2-year service coverage; manufacturer warranties up to 25 years
Trinity Solar (upfront purchase)	10 years labor	5 years	None, per EcoWatch	Panels 25 years; inverters up to 12 years
Momentum Solar	25 years equipment and workmanship (EcoWatch)	Not stated on pages we reviewed	None, per EcoWatch	Manufacturer warranties, usually 10 to 25 years

Sources are listed below this article. Read owner reviews and more on each provider in our solar company directory.

How production guarantees differ

Production guarantees sound alike but work differently. Read the trigger, the review period and the payout method.

• Palmetto LightReach. Palmetto says the system must produce at least 90% of its estimated output over each 36-month review period. If not, it deposits the difference, based on the agreement's price per kWh, within 30 days of verification. No claim is needed. Grid outages, major weather and repair downtime may be excluded.
• Sunrun. Sunrun's coverage page says it guarantees at least 90% of estimated production and pays you the difference if production falls short. The page says this coverage is not available in Florida. EnergySage reports the guarantee is 85% in Puerto Rico and that Sunrun does not offer it in Hawaii either.
• SunPower Inc. SunPower says that if output falls below 50% of projected output for 3 consecutive months, or below 85% for 18 consecutive months, it adds panels or compensates you. Terms apply.
• Trinity and Momentum. EcoWatch reports neither offers a production guarantee.

Lease and PPA coverage vs purchased systems

The same company may offer very different coverage depending on how you pay. Sunrun is a clear example. Its plans page lists, for subscription customers, extended warranties including workmanship and an energy production guarantee for the life of the contract. For purchased systems, it lists manufacturer equipment warranties, a 10-year workmanship guarantee and a 5-year roof penetration warranty.

The reason is ownership. In a lease or PPA, the provider owns the equipment and has a business reason to keep it running for the full term. When you own the system, repairs after the warranty period are your responsibility.

Palmetto's LightReach plans follow the same pattern: because Palmetto owns the system, equipment defects, repairs and replacements are covered under the plan, and Palmetto monitors systems three times a day through automated inverter data pulls. SunPower Inc. lists cash, loan, lease and PPA options and says its production guarantee terms are set out in your contract, so ask any installer whether coverage changes with the way you pay.

That does not make leasing automatically better. The FTC notes that lease payments may rise over time and that ending a lease early can be hard and costly. Compare the total cost over the full term against a purchase plus likely repair costs.

What installer warranties usually do not cover

Even long warranties have limits. LightReach, for example, lists these as billable to the homeowner:

• Elective work such as panel cleaning, critter guards and removal for renovations.
• Damage from failure to maintain the site, such as critter damage.
• Removing and reinstalling panels for a reroof, with a rough reference of $200 to $500 per panel, which is not a quote.

Palmetto also says force majeure events, elective remodels and customer-caused damage are excluded from its performance guarantee. Ask every installer for its exclusions list in writing.

What happens to a warranty if the installer closes

A workmanship warranty depends on the installer staying in business. When legacy SunPower Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 5, 2024, the new SunPower Inc. (formerly Complete Solaria) bought certain assets on September 30, 2024. SunPower Inc. says it did not take on systems installed before that date. It directs those cash or loan customers to their lender, and lease or PPA customers to their financier or SunStrong Management.

Manufacturer warranties are separate. EnergySage reports most major equipment makers are still honoring their warranties for former SunPower customers. If you are in this situation, see is my solar warranty void if the installer went bankrupt? and our solar orphans hub.

How to compare warranties on your own quotes

1. Ask for the actual warranty documents, not a brochure summary.
2. List the years for workmanship, roof penetrations, panels, inverters and batteries side by side.
3. Check whether labor is covered for equipment replacements. Tesla, for example, says it covers related labor on panel warranty claims for purchased systems.
4. Check whether a production guarantee exists, how it is measured and how it pays.
5. Ask who honors the warranty if the installer closes or exits your state.
6. Confirm whether warranties transfer to a buyer if you sell.

Next steps

• Run each quote through our solar quote checker to see whether price and warranties line up.
• Compare providers in the solar company directory.