Your Solar Installer Went Out of Business? Here's Exactly What to Do
If the company that installed your solar panels has closed, shut down, or gone bankrupt, you're in very good company — and your system is almost certainly fine. Here's what actually changes, what doesn't, and the five things to check right now.
Over the last few years a wave of solar companies have gone under. SunPower filed Chapter 11 in 2024. Titan Solar liquidated. Sunnova filed for bankruptcy in 2025. Sullivan Solar Power, Petersen-Dean, Sungevity, ADT Solar, Vision Solar, Lumio and Freedom Forever have all closed or collapsed. Collectively that's millions of homeowners whose original installer no longer answers the phone.
The good news: a closed installer is a service problem, not an electricity problem. Let's break down exactly what that means.
Will my panels stop working?
No. Your solar array, inverter and battery keep converting sunlight into power whether or not the company that installed them still exists. Solar has no subscription and no "kill switch" tied to the installer — the hardware just runs. What you actually lose when an installer closes is three things:
- Service & repairs — nobody to call when something fails.
- Monitoring support — your production app may still work, but no one is watching it for you.
- The workmanship warranty — the installer's labor/roof-penetration guarantee dies with the company.
What about my warranty?
This is the part that surprises most homeowners: your equipment warranties usually survive. Panel warranties (often 25 years) and inverter warranties (typically 12–25 years) are backed by the manufacturer — Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla, QCells, REC and so on — not by your installer. If a panel or inverter fails, the manufacturer still owes you a replacement part.
The catch: someone has to file the claim and do the labor. Manufacturer warranties almost never cover the cost of removing and reinstalling the part — that was the installer's job. That's the gap an independent solar service company fills.
Not sure if your system is healthy?
We do a free, no-pressure evaluation of any solar system in Southern California — regardless of who installed it. We'll confirm it's producing what it should and flag anything failing before it costs you.
Book a Free Evaluation →5 things to check right now
- Is it still producing? Open your monitoring app (Enphase Enlighten, SolarEdge mySolarEdge, Tesla app) or compare this year's utility bills to last year's. A sudden jump in your bill is the #1 sign of a failing system.
- Find your equipment brands. Look at the label on your inverter and any paperwork. Knowing your panel and inverter make/model tells you what warranties you still hold.
- Locate your warranty documents. Even a photo of the old contract helps. No paperwork? An independent tech can identify everything on-site.
- Check who services your loan. If you financed (Mosaic, GoodLeap, Sunlight, Dividend), the loan servicer is separate from the installer and is usually unaffected by the bankruptcy — keep paying it.
- Confirm your NEM status. Your net-metering agreement with the utility (NEM 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0) stays with the home, not the installer. Protecting a grandfathered NEM 1.0 or 2.0 rate is a big reason to keep an older system running well.
Who services an orphaned solar system now?
Independent solar service companies. That's exactly what Solar Review does — we pick up where your original installer left off, no matter who that was. Diagnostics, inverter replacements and swaps, manufacturer warranty claims, monitoring, and battery retrofits for homes across San Diego and Southern California. No pushy re-sell; often it's a small fix or simply confirmation that everything is healthy.
Frequently asked questions
Will my solar panels stop working if my installer went out of business?
No — your panels, inverter and battery keep producing regardless of whether the installer exists. You lose service and workmanship-warranty coverage, not the electricity.
Is my solar warranty still valid if the company closed?
The equipment (panel/inverter) manufacturer warranties usually are, because the manufacturer honors them — not the installer. The installer's workmanship warranty is the part that disappears.
Who fixes solar panels after the installer goes out of business?
Independent providers like Solar Review, which service systems across Southern California regardless of the original installer.
What should I do first?
Confirm the system is still producing, gather your equipment/warranty paperwork, and book a free independent evaluation.
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