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25-year guarantee on workmanship and tools
Does not use subcontractors
Lengthy monitor report within the trade
Solely affords one model of panels
5-year roof penetration guarantee
Between inflation, growing vitality costs and the specter of grid outages, including some photo voltaic panels to your property can present financial savings and peace of thoughts, along with inexperienced credibility.
There was a veritable explosion of choices in the case of photo voltaic tools, producers and installers over the previous decade or so. Highly effective hurricanes, floods, drought and widespread wildfires have made it clear that the specter of local weather change is actual and upon us, spurring native, state and nationwide governments to supply incentives for the set up of renewables.
The outcome has been a ramping up of analysis into photo voltaic applied sciences, plentiful panels and a dizzying listing of firms keen that can assist you get them in your roof. This all helps drive down the expense and provides ease to the method of going photo voltaic, however it will possibly make selecting a primary alternative of supplier a bit overwhelming.
Momentum Photo voltaic is without doubt one of the few that is been there for the reason that starting of those increase instances, providing an all-in-one strategy to photo voltaic installations, with licensed worker installers and domestically manufactured elements — though solely in a handful of states.
The New Jersey-based firm has been round since 2009, “which can not sound like a really very long time,” the corporate’s vice chairman of gross sales, Chad Crescibene, instructed me. “However within the photo voltaic trade it would as nicely make us a senior citizen.”
He notes that Momentum can also be a comparatively uncommon solo photo voltaic firm, which means it has been devoted to photo voltaic installations from its inception fairly than a roofing or HVAC firm that merely added photo voltaic to a broader portfolio of adjoining providers provided.
The corporate additionally handles all engineering, procurement and development, fairly than utilizing photo voltaic set up subcontractors.
“We do all aspects of a photo voltaic challenge, so it isn’t like we Frankenstein it collectively,” Crescibene mentioned.
In different phrases, Momentum works with clients to design the perfect photo voltaic system for his or her wants and will get it permitted by native authorities after which the corporate’s staff do the sphere set up.
Momentum scores across the center of the businesses we have reviewed thus far. It scored excessive for the panels and inverters it affords. We additionally gave it prime marks for its workmanship guarantee and buyer care scores.
It fell beneath our requirements for worth transparency (which is true for a lot of the firms we have reviewed) and we want it provided a couple of extra battery choices and an extended guarantee in opposition to leaks in your roof (one other industrywide shortcoming, in our view).
We additionally like that every one of Momentum’s set up groups are in-house and will not be subcontractors. This issue, nevertheless, is not mirrored in our scoring methodology right now.
Take into account that CNET has not truly gone via the total ordering, design and set up course of with Momentum or different photo voltaic firms. We rely as an alternative on publicly accessible info, talking with the corporate and our information of the broader market.
A photo voltaic set up is a giant determination and funding, and in the end it is necessary to get a number of quotes from firms working in your space. You can begin by going via extra opinions on CNET like this one earlier than placing collectively your record of the most effective service suppliers and reaching out.
What do I get from Momentum Photo voltaic?
As Crescibene mentioned, Momentum’s staff and never contractors or third-party companions information clients via the complete course of from conception to trying out the state of your roof, via the native planning and allowing places of work to set up and ongoing buyer assist.
What tools does Momentum set up?
As of 2023, the panels you may get come from QCells, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha that operates a producing facility within the US state of Georgia; wattages can differ from roughly 100 watts to 365 watts per panel. The photovoltaics are mixed with batteries and microinverters from Enphase, together with the newest variations from the IQ sequence, that are additionally made within the US.
What warranties does Momentum supply?
The panels and microinverters are underneath guarantee for 25 years and the batteries for 10 years, that are each pretty customary in the case of warranties.
The corporate will guarantee the system in a couple of completely different areas: 25 years for workmanship and the tools itself. Crescibene mentioned it additionally affords a minimal five-year aesthetic guarantee that we have not seen provided by different firms. The concept right here is that if a panel have been to fade or discolor however nonetheless work correctly, you would possibly have the ability to have it swapped out for a prettier panel. There’s additionally a five-year roof penetration guarantee, which is on the low finish of comparable weatherization warranties provided by different firms.
Does Momentum use subcontractors to put in photo voltaic panels?
Momentum emphasizes the truth that all of its labor is carried out by in-house W2 staff who’ve been licensed via its inner coaching program.
“We do not enable anyone that hasn’t [completed the training] on any person’s roof,” Crescibene instructed me.
This system entails two to a few weeks of coaching, each within the classroom and on a mock roof setup, the place installers observe going via the complete strategy of placing in a brand new photo voltaic system.
Does Momentum supply monitoring providers?
Momentum additionally affords a cellular app you should utilize to trace the method from the engineering go to to allowing and the set up schedule. As soon as every part is about up, the app tracks vitality manufacturing and affords fast hyperlinks to buyer assist. The app has obtained middling opinions from customers on the Google (2.7 stars) and Apple app shops (2.5 stars).
How a lot does Momentum Photo voltaic price?
Momentum Photo voltaic declined to share particular pricing info, however notes that every set up goes to be a customized system “designed with most financial savings in thoughts.”
“It is bespoke in that we do not have a small, medium or massive providing,” Crescibene defined. “Each home-owner goes to be completely different.”
Take into account that costs and prices of set up can differ considerably from market to market; one more reason to get a number of quotes from firms working domestically earlier than shifting ahead.
Momentum will supply a worth match in instances “when it is apples to apples” and a competitor affords a comparable design and elements with licensed in-house labor.
“In that particular occasion we’d institute a worth match assure,” Crescibene mentioned.
Your state, county or native authorities could supply further incentives to cut back your complete funding as nicely.
This map will present you the common complete price, system measurement and price per watt for a typical photo voltaic panel system in every US state the place knowledge is obtainable, based on FindEnergy.com.
What financing choices does Momentum supply?
The corporate affords money purchases and loans, in addition to system leasing and the occasional energy buy settlement. Leasing is essentially the most frequent association with Momentum clients.
Does Momentum Photo voltaic function in my state? How do I order?
Momentum Photo voltaic affords photo voltaic installations within the following states, although not essentially with battery installations. They’re going to quickly supply installations in Rhode Island, too.
Zooey Liao / CNET
One of the simplest ways to get in contact and begin the ordering course of is to place in a request through the firm web site or social media channels. Count on to be referred to as the identical day if not virtually instantly. Usually a session takes place inside 24 to 48 hours. That is adopted by an engineering go to, remaining design, allowing and set up. Your entire course of sometimes takes about 60 days, and main milestones alongside the way in which might be tracked through the corporate’s app.
Is Momentum Photo voltaic your best option?
Finally, every home-owner has the most effective sense of what is greatest for his or her scenario, however you may be higher off spending a while surveying the native market and getting a number of quotes from operators in your space.
As soon as once more, understand that CNET has not gone via the ordering or set up course of with Momentum Photo voltaic.
What we are able to say is that Momentum’s expertise and vertical integration within the photo voltaic trade, together with its sole reliance on licensed in-house labor, makes it an organization price contemplating. The corporate is accredited by the Higher Enterprise Bureau and has an A+ score. Sadly, it solely operates in a handful of states in the mean time however is slowly increasing. It could be good to see a couple of extra on-line instruments to assist the patron within the early phases of buying round as nicely. Lastly, for those who’re excited by an influence buy settlement, it is perhaps one of many few issues the corporate might want to herald a 3rd celebration to supply.
Learn extra: Need one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for the most effective transportable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic mills.
Execs
Prime-notch 25-year warrantyDeep expertise within the photo voltaic industryDomestically produced componentsCertified worker installers
Cons
Operates in a small variety of statesMinimal on-line analysis toolsRarely does energy buy agreements
Momentum Photo voltaic opinions: What are clients saying?
On-line opinions of firms might help establish broad tendencies in folks’s expertise with an organization and study what questions you must ask earlier than shifting ahead. A person evaluation ought to all the time be considered within the context of others. Under are a couple of excessive and low opinions taken from the Higher Enterprise Bureau’s web page for Momentum Photo voltaic. Some have been calmly edited for grammar and spelling.
Momentum has responded to all the opinions left with the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
5-star Momentum Photo voltaic opinions
“Nice job achieved by your workforce thus far. Communications have been glorious.” Francis D., Feb. 6, 2024.
“Proud of the service thus far. Work was achieved to our satisfaction. Ready for critter guards to be put in as promised.” Richard L., Oct. 25, 2023.
“Nice service, very useful. Answered all my questions and labored very quick.” Jose M., Oct. 5, 2023.
One-star Momentum Photo voltaic opinions
“Nice presentation, nice salesman however the administration workplace while you cancel will begin to harass you by calling and texting and making feedback which can be pointless and impolite. Discover out all the info earlier than you join.” Jessica C., Jan 7, 2024.
“[The sales representative] pressures you into signing paperwork to get the engineer to come back out and see if the panels are even possible. Then after ghosting us for over a month, they’re immediately pulling permits to do work on our home with out us approving the plans. Now they’re saying we missed the window to again out.” Jeanne S., Oct. 26, 2023.
“I used to be promised two months of service at a selected month-to-month invoice primarily based on my settlement. I am paying $30 greater than that and no one in billing or accounting has any notes on that deal. There have been points each step of the way in which.” Peter B., Oct. 01, 2023.
How we consider photo voltaic firms
Reviewing photo voltaic firms in a hands-on manner is troublesome. Accounting for all of the variations from challenge to challenge is not possible. To offer a useful evaluation, we centered on what we are able to measure and meaningfully examine amongst firms.
We deal with three buckets of standards: tools, warranties and repair.
Throughout the tools class, firms obtain scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they set up. Warranties embody ensures on the panels, workmanship and weatherization in opposition to leaks. Firms earn factors for service if they provide a worth match, a significant degree of worth transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring photo voltaic manufacturing. They lose factors if there are main points pertaining to customer support (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These points will all the time be detailed within the evaluation.
You’ll be able to learn an in depth take a look at how the scoring breaks down.
We do not take into account the common worth of an organization’s installations of their rating. This info is troublesome to search out and arduous to match throughout service areas (and even roof-to-roof). Firms are sometimes sluggish to reveal it, too. We additionally miss simply discovered however not helpful info like what number of states an organization operates in.
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