Frequently Asked Questions

Compare this summer's production or bill with the same months last year. A sudden drop, an inverter showing a fault light or error code, a monitoring app that stopped reporting, or one section of panels producing far less than the rest all point to a repair. Some summer loss is normal heat derating, so a diagnostic visit sorts normal from broken.

HomeGuide puts typical solar panel repairs at $250 to $1,500, and Fixr gives a national average of about $750. A string inverter replacement usually runs $1,500 to $3,000. Your written estimate is the price, and it shows any part a warranty should cover.

Usually repair. Panels carry the longest life in a system, and the Department of Energy cites an average of 25 to 35 years. The inverter, wiring and connectors fail sooner and cost far less to replace than a new system. If many panels are physically damaged or the system is far out of warranty with several failed parts, we lay out both options with numbers.

Heat lowers output while it lasts, and over years it speeds wear on inverters, connectors and wiring. Panels lose a fraction of a percent of power for each degree Celsius above 77°F, and inverters cut their own output once they get too hot. Shade over the inverter and good airflow under the panels help.

You can call us. Systems whose installer has closed still have panels and inverters made by companies that honor their own product warranties. We identify the equipment, check warranty status and repair the system the same way we would any other.

A like-for-like repair usually does not change what the utility approved. Replacing an inverter with a different model, adding panels or changing the system size can. SRP routes changes to approved systems through a change request in PowerClerk. We confirm what your utility needs before swapping equipment.

The gap under a rooftop array is shaded, sheltered and hard for predators to reach, which is exactly what feral pigeons look for. Once a pair nests, more tend to follow. Clearing the nests and closing the gap with mesh around the array's edge is the lasting fix.

EnergySage notes that desert areas need more frequent cleaning than the usual twice a year because of dust and sand. With so little rain here, many Phoenix owners clean after monsoon season and again in spring. Watch your production numbers: a steady decline with no fault code often means it is time.

HomeGuide gives 10 to 15 years for string inverters and 15 to 25 years for microinverters. Constant summer heat tends to push units toward the shorter end, especially when they hang in direct afternoon sun.

Most inverters cut their output when they get too hot, and some will shut down entirely. A brief afternoon dip is normal derating. Daily shutdowns, or a unit that stays off until evening, point to a failing fan, a blocked vent, poor placement or an inverter near the end of its life.

Many faults are outside the inverter: a breaker, fuse, loose connection, ground fault or lost Wi-Fi link. Those are repaired. When the inverter itself has failed, it is usually replaced, through a warranty claim if it is still covered.

If it is within the warranty term, the maker usually supplies the part. Labor is a different story: EnergySage notes Tesla covers inverter labor while Enphase does not. We check the serial number and tell you what the claim covers before any work.

On a microinverter system, a single panel at zero usually means that panel's microinverter failed or lost its connection. We confirm it on the roof, then replace the unit under that panel.

Angi puts temporary removal for roof work at about $1,000 to $2,000 per system, with removal projects of 20 panels running $2,500 to $4,000. Reinstallation, new mounts and tile work add to that. We quote both halves in writing.

Removal for a typical home is usually a day. Reinstalling takes about as long once the roof is ready. The gap in between depends on the roofer and any permit or utility step, so we plan the dates together.

Removal involves shutting down and disconnecting a live electrical system, and reinstalling involves reconnecting it to the grid. Panel and inverter warranties may also have conditions about who does the work. A solar crew handles the electrical side; the roofer handles the roof.

Tile can crack under foot traffic or when lifted around mounts. We work slowly around each mount and stack tiles carefully. Ask your roofer for a few spare tiles of the same profile, since older tile can be hard to match.

If you have seen pigeons under the array, yes. The panels are already off and the space underneath is clean, so mesh goes on at the lowest added cost.

Mesh that clips to the panel frame without drilling is designed to avoid that. Drilling into frames or modules is what raises warranty questions. Check your panel maker's terms, and we will show you how the clips attach before we start.

The mesh is open, so air still moves under the array. A nest packed with sticks and debris blocks far more airflow than mesh does.

Working on a roof around live electrical equipment, and handling dried droppings, both carry risk. If you do it, wear a mask and gloves and stay off the panels. Without mesh, the birds usually come back within weeks.

Most homes take a few hours to a day, depending on how big the array is, how much cleanout is needed and whether the roof is tile.

If pigeons are already under the panels, usually yes. Nests trap heat, birds damage wiring and droppings shade cells, and each of those costs production or repair money over time.

Less than its nameplate on hot afternoons, because panels lose a fraction of a percent of output per degree of heat. The better test is against your own history: the same month last year, adjusted for any cloudy days. A big drop from that baseline needs a look.

Many owners do it every year or two, and after any severe monsoon storm. HomeGuide puts a standalone inspection at $150 to $350 when it is not part of an installation contract.

Yes. We work on systems no matter who installed them, including ones whose installer has closed.

It could be higher use (summer cooling, a pool pump, a new EV), a change in your utility plan, or a monitoring app that reports inverter output but not what reaches the meter. We compare the meter, the inverter and the app to see which story holds.

Usually damaged insulation that lets current reach the frame or roof, often from chewing, pecking, rubbing on a sharp edge or water in a connector. The inverter shuts down to protect the system until the fault is found.

No. Panels make voltage whenever the sun is up, so roof wiring stays energized even with breakers off. Strings can carry hundreds of volts of DC. This is a job for a qualified solar electrician.

Wind can loosen connectors or wire, debris can damage panels or cables, and water can get into a damaged connector and cause a ground fault. A post-storm check finds which it is.

HomeGuide puts repair of loose or chewed wiring at $100 to $400. Jobs that need panels lifted or long runs replaced cost more. Your estimate lists each item.

Twice a year is a common baseline, and EnergySage notes desert areas often need more. Many Phoenix owners clean after monsoon season and again in spring. Your own production numbers tell you more than any calendar.

From the ground, with a gentle spray in the early morning, a light rinse is low risk, though tap water can leave mineral spots. Do not use a pressure washer, harsh soap or abrasive brushes, and do not climb onto the roof or panels.

Steady rain helps, but Phoenix gets little of it, and short monsoon showers often leave streaks of mud instead. Most of the year the panels just collect dust.

A typical home array takes a few hours, depending on how many panels there are, roof access and how much buildup there is.