An overview of solar O&M plans and providers

Solar installations are generally a “set-and-forget” investment, requiring very little maintenance over their 25+ year lifespan. But stuff happens, and there’s a chance problems may arise with your system—things like panel damage and faulty wiring. If you're looking for extra peace of mind, one upgrade to consider is a solar operations and maintenance (O&M) plan.

O&M plans are protection plans for your solar panel system. They're almost like having health insurance for your solar panels. If a tree falls on your house, your homeowners' insurance plan will likely cover most of the repair costs. But O&M plans include maintenance that’s not typically covered under homeowners’ insurance or equipment warranties, like pest control and panel cleaning. And just like health insurance covers our annual check-ups, O&M plans include regular site visits to ensure your solar panel system is in tip-top shape. These plans are especially helpful if your solar installer goes out of business, serving as backup customer support and maintenance. 

We'll explore all things solar O&M, including types of plans and services, major providers, and the pros and cons of signing up for an O&M plan.

There are generally three types of solar O&M services: a dedicated O&M provider, an installer-supplied O&M, and inverter monitoring solutions.

Dedicated solar O&M providers

 A dedicated O&M provider is a third-party company (not your solar installer or equipment manufacturer) that you hire to monitor and maintain your solar panel system. Under the umbrella of dedicated solar O&M providers, you can choose from several types of plans. Three of the most common plans are preventative, corrective, and real-time.

• Preventative maintenance plans consist of regularly scheduled inspections of your system to make sure everything is working properly. 

• Corrective maintenance plans focus more on repairs, so your O&M provider will only act if they detect a problem with your system, such as a low-producing panel. 

• Real-time plans use active data monitoring that goes beyond reacting to problems and regular servicing. Your provider uses the data to predict system breakdowns and prioritize the right actions and resources to stop problems before they seriously impact electricity production.

Solar installer O&M services

You don't always need to find a third-party O&M provider for maintenance; many solar installers have their own O&M plans. Depending on the solar warranties that come with your system, you may be entitled to reduced-cost (or even free) service from your installer should something go wrong.

Some installers handle O&M in-house, with services and plans varying by company. For example, Blue Raven Solar offers customers a free two-year service warranty. Sunnova offers an add-on O&M option, Sunnova Protect, with monitoring, repairs, replacement, and a power guarantee for up to 25 years. Other installers may partner with third-party O&M providers, like Palmetto, which is partnered with Omnidian. 

The biggest thing to keep in mind here is installer longevity—if your installer goes out of business, the O&M plan typically becomes meaningless. 

Inverter monitoring

Most major solar inverter manufacturers provide built-in solar production monitoring services with their products. While not an all-in-one solution for addressing performance issues, you can use this data to understand when your system is underperforming so you can call maintenance technicians. Companies like Enphase Energy, SolarEdge Technologies, and SMA America all provide rich data on your system's production. You can download their associated mobile apps to your phone or tablet to view your solar panel systems' statistics at any time. 

Inverter monitoring is helpful, but unless you're an experienced electrician or solar technician, it can be challenging to identify and diagnose, let alone fix, a system issue solely through your inverter monitoring. 

A strong solar O&M plan provides many benefits to your solar panel system. When comparing your options, consider whether the following services are covered:

Site visits

O&M plans often include regular site visits from your provider. Technicians will inspect your solar panel system and diagnose any issues preventing your panels from optimally producing power.

Pest control

Pests are a common nuisance with solar panel systems. Birds and rodents may nest in and around your array, leading to potential electrical damage to your system. Critter guards can help keep them out, but O&M companies often include pest control in their plans to preemptively tackle any problems.

Cleaning

A well-designed solar panel system rarely needs cleaning (rainwater is usually sufficient). However, if you live in an area with high amounts of particulates and dust, your panels may become dirty and start to underproduce. O&M providers typically include cleaning services to safely clear dust, debris, or any other material covering your panels.

Electrical system checks

Electrical systems connecting your solar panel system to your home and the power grid must be maintained. O&M plans should cover proactive checks of all of your wiring and electrical systems to ensure your system is safely supplying the right amount of electricity to your home or business.

Solar inverter maintenance

Solar inverters (particularly string inverters) have a shorter lifespan than solar panels and need to be closely monitored for degradation. A good solar O&M plan will pay extra attention to your solar inverters to ensure your panels will continue converting direct current (DC) energy from your panels into usable alternating current (AC) electricity.

Hiring solar crew and personnel

Specialists must work with your system to complete maintenance projects on your solar panel system. A good solar O&M plan will include a network of reputable repair crews to perform any regular or one-off maintenance you need.

If your installer is available and their labor warranty still covers you, it’s always best to consult them for system maintenance—they know your system setup and equipment best, and they already have a relationship with you. If a trustworthy, responsive solar company completed your installation (and it's still in business), you’re likely in a good place to skip out on a third-party O&M package.

Your solar installer may provide its own O&M plan as an add-on. If that’s the case, be sure to ask questions about what is covered under the plan (make sure it’s in writing) and what you’ll have to pay for out of pocket if you don’t sign up for it.

If your solar company went out of business (we’ll discuss more on that below), you have a better case for an O&M plan. But ultimately, the decision to sign up for a solar O&M plan is personal, so let’s talk about the pros and cons.

Pros of O&M plans

Cons of O&M plans

2024 was a hard year for the solar industry—some major companies (like Titan and SunPower) went out of business. If your solar installer closes up shop, you may opt to sign up with a dedicated solar O&M provider to handle your system’s monitoring and maintenance from here on out. That said, getting a separate O&M plan may not be necessary if you’re just looking for maintenance for one-off issues. 

Martyna Kowalczyk, CEO of SolarTime USA, said her company doesn’t offer an O&M subscription but does answer maintenance calls for both its customers and homeowners with “orphaned systems”—systems installed by a company that went out of business. She says their original customers are typically covered, while orphaned system customers are billed for the maintenance done.

“Customers will come to us with maintenance requests. It's usually our customers and we fix it at no cost to them, if it's part of their warranty,” Kowalczyk said. “Then, we do have a program for clients that are not ours, orphaned systems, where we serve as the system for them.”

However, not all solar companies will take on jobs for systems they didn’t install. Erik Holvik, Director of Business Development at EnergySage, said many installers refuse to do so, saying it’s too big a liability.

“If the original installation wasn’t done properly or there are any damage or warranty issues, the new company takes on that responsibility as soon as they touch the system,” Holvik said.

Unfortunately, that puts homeowners with orphaned systems in a frustrating position. But there are solutions, like calling one of the solar O&M providers listed below.

Many companies offer O&M plans for commercial solar panel installations, which require more maintenance services, but your options are a bit more limited for home systems. If you'd like a dedicated solar O&M plan, there are a few big names in the space.

NovaSource

NovaSource is self-proclaimed as the nation’s largest residential solar service provider, with over 50,000 site visits under its belt. The company is also certified to work with several big-name equipment manufacturers, including Enphase, Canadian Solar, and LG Solar.

With technicians across the globe, NovaSource can respond to residential customers quickly. Plus, you don’t have to go through another company to work with NovaSource; simply submit your issue on their website and a customer specialist should reach out to schedule a site visit.

Omnidian

Omnidian doesn’t service home solar panel systems unless it's through a partnership with your solar installer, or your solar lease or loan provider. If you have the opportunity to sign up with Omnidian, expect its technicians to provide all the standard services of solar O&M companies, including system monitoring and remote issue detection, preventive maintenance, and customer support.

Sunnova Protect

Sunnova is a national solar installer, but its Sunnova Protect Services are available for any homeowner with solar panels, regardless of who installed them. The company has two types of O&M plans—Basic and Premium. Basic includes system monitoring and issue diagnosis, while the Premium plan adds warranty management, troubleshooting, repairs, and replacement services. If you’re not looking for an O&M subscription, Sunnova offers one-off maintenance, too.

SunSystem Technology

SunSystem Technology works with solar installation companies as a dedicated O&M partner. The company uses its nationally-deployed technician network to diagnose and address problems within any solar installation. In late 2016, SunSystem Technology acquired Next Phase Solar, Enphase Energy's operations and maintenance division, cementing its place as the market-share leader in residential O&M.

Solar Insure

Solar Insure is slightly different from traditional O&M providers, operating more like solar equipment insurance. It offers a 30-year monitoring and insurance-backed warranty that, according to its website, “goes beyond the existing manufacturer’s warranty.” A Solar Insure plan doesn’t cover property damage, acts of God, rodent damage, or issues with electrical wiring, panels, or general electrical work. We recommend checking out Solar Insure’s plan specifics and comparing it with other providers’ offerings to find the one that will best meet your needs.

Installing the right solar equipment and working with a trusted solar installer will help reduce your system's maintenance requirements. On the EnergySage Marketplace, you'll receive multiple quotes from installers we've already vetted. 

If you're interested in a particular solar O&M plan or want to better understand what each installer offers regarding long-term monitoring and maintenance, you can leave a note in your profile or ask installers directly through our messaging system.