Solar warranties explained: what actually matters

When researching solar, you’ll often see terms like 25-year product warranty, 30-year performance warranty, or 10-year battery warranty.

While warranties are important, they can also be confusing. Many homeowners assume that a 25-year warranty means everything is covered for 25 years. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple.

Understanding the different types of warranties can help you compare solar proposals more effectively and ensure you’re protected for the long term.

The three main solar warranties

A quality solar system is typically protected by three different types of warranties:

Product warranty

A product warranty covers manufacturing defects in the equipment itself. This applies to components such as:

• Solar panels
• Inverters
• Batteries
• Monitoring equipment

If a component fails due to a manufacturing fault during the warranty period, the manufacturer is responsible for repairing or replacing it. However, when comparing products, it’s important to understand exactly what is covered.

Many homeowners assume a warranty only relates to the replacement component. In reality, replacing a failed inverter or battery can involve fault diagnosis, travel to site, removal of the faulty equipment, installation of replacement equipment, testing, and recommissioning of the system.

Depending on the equipment, these labour costs can be significant. This is one reason we choose to work with premium manufacturers that provide strong warranty support, including labour allowances for approved warranty claims. It helps ensure customers aren’t left with unexpected costs if a genuine manufacturing fault occurs.

Warranty coverage can vary significantly between brands, which is why it’s important to look beyond the warranty length and understand what is actually included.

Performance warranty

A performance warranty is specific to solar panels. All solar panels gradually lose a small amount of output over time. This is completely normal and occurs with every solar panel on the market. A performance warranty guarantees that the panel will still produce a certain percentage of its original output after a specified period. For example, many premium panels guarantee that after 25 years they will still produce around 87–92% of their original rated output. This gives homeowners confidence that their system will continue generating meaningful energy well into the future.

Workmanship warranty

This is often the most overlooked warranty—and arguably one of the most important. A workmanship warranty covers the quality of the installation itself. This includes things such as:

• Roof penetrations
• Mounting systems
• Electrical connections
• Cable management
• System commissioning
• Compliance with electrical and solar standards

Even the highest-quality equipment can experience issues if it hasn’t been installed correctly. That’s why Garden City Solar provides a 10-Year Workmanship Warranty on every installation we complete. If an issue arises as a result of our workmanship, we’ll put it right.

Why installer quality matters

Most solar manufacturers don’t install solar systems—they manufacture equipment. The installation is carried out by the solar company you choose, and that’s where experience, workmanship, and attention to detail become important.

A solar system isn’t simply a collection of components. It’s a complete electrical system installed on your home. Panel placement, roof penetrations, mounting hardware, cable routing, commissioning, monitoring setup, and future serviceability all play a role in how well the system performs over its lifetime.

When comparing solar proposals, it’s worth asking:

• Who designed the system?
• Who will install it?
• Are installations completed by an in-house team or subcontractors?
• What workmanship warranty is included?
• Who will help if support is needed years from now?

The answers to these questions often tell you more about the long-term value of a proposal than the price alone.

Not all warranties are equal

When comparing solar quotes, it’s easy to focus on the number of years attached to a warranty. But the length of a warranty is only part of the story. Questions worth asking include:

• Does the manufacturer have an established presence in New Zealand?
• Is local warranty support available?
• Are labour costs covered if equipment fails?
• Who manages the warranty claim process?
• How easy is it to obtain replacement parts?

A warranty is only valuable if there is a practical pathway to support when something goes wrong. This is why we carefully select the manufacturers we work with. Long warranty periods are important, but so is having access to replacement parts, technical support, and clear warranty processes when they’re needed.

What happens if something goes wrong?

One concern we often hear from homeowners is:

“If something stops working, who do I call?”

At Garden City Solar, we’re your first point of contact. We don’t expect homeowners to determine whether an issue relates to a panel, inverter, battery, monitoring system, or installation. We’ll help diagnose the issue and work with the relevant manufacturer where required. Our goal is to make ownership as straightforward as possible and ensure you’re supported long after your system is switched on.

The bottom line

A solar system is a long-term investment, and understanding warranties is an important part of choosing the right installer. Product warranties protect the equipment. Performance warranties protect long-term panel output. Workmanship warranties protect the quality of the installation. All three are important.

At Garden City Solar, we combine premium equipment, in-house installation teams, local support, and a 10-Year Workmanship Warranty to give homeowners confidence that their investment is protected for the long term.

Because when it comes to solar, doing it right matters.