Solar has been going onto Pacific Northwest roofs for more than twenty years, which means a good share of the arrays around Vancouver, Camas and Portland are now on their second owner. If you are buying a house with panels already on it, there are four questions worth answering before closing — and one of them can complicate the sale entirely.
Is the system owned, financed or leased?
This is the question that matters most, and it is not always obvious from looking at the roof. An owned system is part of the house and transfers with it. A leased system or a power purchase agreement belongs to a third party, and you have to be willing to assume that contract.
Ask for the paperwork before closing rather than after. Lease terms vary widely — some have escalators that raise the payment every year, some have buyout clauses, and your lender may have views about all of it. None of that is a reason to walk away, but all of it is a reason to read the document.
Do the warranties transfer, and to whom?
There are usually three separate warranties on a solar installation: the panels, the inverter, and the installer’s workmanship. They have different lengths and different transfer rules, and the workmanship warranty is the one most likely to be tied to the original owner or to a company that no longer exists.
Ask for the certificates, not a reassurance. If the installing company has gone, the manufacturer warranties usually survive; the labour cover generally does not.
Is there monitoring, and can you get the login?
An unmonitored array can under-produce for years without anyone noticing. We have opened portals on systems where a whole string had been offline since before the current owner moved in.
Transferring the monitoring account at sale costs nothing and is forgotten almost every time. Ask the seller to hand over the login, or at minimum the make and model of the inverter so it can be re-registered.
How old is the inverter?
Panels commonly carry 25-year performance warranties and age slowly. Inverters are the component with a shorter life — typically ten to fifteen years. A system installed in 2012 is probably fine on the roof and due for an inverter, which is a far smaller expense than replacing an array but worth knowing before you own it.
If the system is that vintage, budget for it the way you would budget for a water heater rather than treating it as a nasty surprise.
What should you actually inspect?
- Production against what the system should model for that roof — a home inspector will not do this
- Whether every string or panel is reporting
- Roof attachments and flashing, which is where leaks start
- The main panel: breaker arrangement, disconnect labelling and any signs of improvised work
- How much roof life is left underneath the array — removing and reinstalling panels to reroof is its own project
Does solar add value to a house here?
An owned, well-documented system generally helps. A system with no paperwork raises questions a buyer’s agent cannot answer, and doubt costs more than the folder would have. If you are on the selling side of this, gather the contract, permits, inspection record, warranty certificates, interconnection agreement and monitoring login before listing.
We are happy to look at a system during a purchase, whoever installed it, and give you a written account of what we found and what does not need spending on.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before buying a house with solar panels?
Whether the system is owned, financed or leased; whether the three warranties transfer; whether monitoring exists and can be handed over; and how old the inverter is. Get the documents before closing, not after.
Does a leased solar system transfer to the buyer?
It has to be assumed by you under the terms of the lease or power purchase agreement, which is why the contract belongs in the transaction early. Owned systems simply transfer with the property.
How long do solar inverters last?
Usually ten to fifteen years, while panels commonly carry 25-year performance warranties. On an older system, budget for an inverter replacement the way you would a water heater — it is far cheaper than replacing the array.
Will a home inspector check the solar system?
Rarely in any depth. A standard inspection will not compare production against what the roof should model or check whether a string is offline. That takes a solar inspection, which we provide regardless of who installed the system.
Do solar panels add value when selling a house?
An owned, well-documented system generally helps. Missing paperwork is what causes problems — gather the contract, permits, inspection record, warranties, interconnection agreement and monitoring login before listing.
Buying or selling a home with solar?
Call 360-313-7190 for an inspection or a straight second opinion. Sunbridge Solar serves Camas, Washougal, Vancouver, Portland and the Columbia River Gorge.
